Overview
Knowlix Payroll handles the complete employee compensation cycle, from contract setup through payslip generation to final payment processing. The module connects with Attendance, Time Off, and Planning to pull accurate worked hours, then applies salary structures and rules to compute each employee’s net pay. Key features:- Contract management with salary structure types and wage configurations
- Payslip batch processing for efficient period-end payroll runs
- Commission and warrant payslip support
- Salary structures, rules, and rule parameters for configurable pay computation
- Work entry tracking with conflict resolution
- Salary attachments for deductions, garnishments, and recurring payments
- Time off deferral for late-submitted leave requests
- Payroll analysis and work entry reporting
- Country-specific localization packages
Settings
Navigate to Payroll > Configuration > Settings to configure the module behavior.Accounting
- Payroll Entries - select how payroll journal entries are posted (one entry per payslip, one per batch, or one per work entry type)
- Payroll Exchange Difference - account used to record rounding differences in payroll journals
Localizations
Install a country-specific localization package to activate the tax schedules, salary structures, and work entry types required for legal compliance in that region. Once a localization is installed, additional fields and tabs appear throughout the module to capture country-required information.Time Off
- Deferred Time Off - when enabled, time off requests submitted after payroll has already been processed can be deferred to the next pay period instead of requiring paycheck cancellation and reissuance
- Deferred Time Off Cut-off - the day of the month after which late time off requests are automatically flagged for deferral
Payroll
- Contract Expiration Notice - number of days before contract end to generate an expiration warning on the dashboard
- Batch Payslip Email Template - template used when sending payslips to employees by email
- Sent Payslip Email - default email template for individual payslip distribution
- Work Permit Expiration Notice - days before permit expiry to trigger a warning
Contracts
Contracts define the relationship between an employee and the company, specifying salary, working schedule, and the rules used to compute payslips. Navigate to Payroll > Contracts > Contracts (or click the Contracts smart button on an employee record).Contract Dashboard
The dashboard displays contracts in Kanban view, organized by status stage. Default stages are New, In Progress, On Hold, and Contract Ended. The stage indicator at the top of each contract form reflects the current status, and contracts can be moved by dragging cards or clicking the stage. Use the To Renew filter to surface contracts approaching their end date.Creating a Contract
Click New and complete the form. General information section:- Contract Reference - internal name for the contract
- Employee - the person this contract applies to
- Job Position - role associated with the contract
- Contract Start Date - required; the date the contract becomes active
- Contract End Date - leave blank for indefinite contracts; populating this field generates an expiration warning as the date approaches
- Working Schedule - the schedule used to generate work entries and calculate attendance
- Work Entry Source - determines how hours are recorded: Working Schedule (auto-generated), Attendances (requires clock-in/out), or Planning (pulled from shift assignments)
- HR Responsible - the HR team member managing this contract
- Status - New, In Progress, On Hold, or Contract Ended
- Salary Structure Type - determines which salary structures, rules, and wage type apply
- Wage Type - Fixed Wage for salaried employees; Hourly Wage for employees paid by hours worked
- Wage - the agreed compensation amount per the pay schedule
- Scheduled Pay - pay frequency (monthly, bi-weekly, weekly, etc.)
- Annual Gross - auto-calculated based on wage and pay frequency
- Analytic Distribution - assign payroll costs to specific analytic accounts for financial reporting
- Notice Period - required notice before contract termination
- Notes - internal context about the contract
Sending a Contract
To send the contract for electronic signature, click Send on the contract form. A compose email dialog appears pre-populated with the recipient and the configured email template. Adjust the message and click Send to deliver the contract. Once the employee signs, the contract status updates automatically.Contract Status Indicators
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| New | Contract created but not yet active |
| In Progress | Active contract; used for payslip generation |
| On Hold | Temporarily paused (leave of absence, etc.) |
| Contract Ended | Terminated; excluded from payslip batches |
| To Renew | Contract end date is within the notice window |
Contract Templates
Reuse common contract configurations with templates. Navigate to Payroll > Configuration > Contract Templates and click New. Define the salary structure type, wage type, working schedule, and other defaults. When creating a new contract, select the template from the Contract Template field to pre-fill all configured values.Payslips
Payslips are the individual compensation records generated for each employee for a specific pay period.Creating a Payslip
Navigate to Payroll > Payslips > All Payslips and click New, or generate payslips through a batch. Header fields:- Employee - selecting an employee auto-fills contract, structure, and period fields
- Batch - associate this payslip with a processing batch
- Structure - the salary structure used for computation; defaults from the contract
- Period - start and end dates for the pay period (required)
Worked Days and Inputs Tab
Displays all attendance records for the pay period, auto-populated from work entries. Each line shows the type, description, number of days, number of hours, and the total amount. The Other Inputs section allows adding manual entries for items not tracked as work entries, such as tips, reimbursements, bonuses, or commissions. Click Add a Line and choose the input type, description, and count.Salary Computation Tab
Lists all salary rules applied to compute the final paycheck. This tab is blank when the payslip is first created. Click Compute Sheet to calculate all rule values. The tab is read-only; edits must be made on the Worked Days tab or contract, then recomputed. Click Compute Sheet again at any time before finalizing to recalculate after changes.Other Info Tab
- Payslip Name - auto-generated from employee name and period; editable
- Company - auto-filled from the employee record; not editable
- Close Date - the date payment is issued to the employee
- Date Account - the accounting end date for the payslip period
- Salary Journal - the accounting journal where the paycheck is logged; not editable
- Internal Note - optional field for notes visible only to HR and payroll staff
Processing a Payslip
Before processing any payslips, check the Warnings section on the payroll dashboard (Payroll > Dashboard). Warnings flag issues such as employees without active contracts or employees missing bank account information. Unresolved warnings can cause errors during processing. Step 1: Create Draft Entry Click Create Draft Entry and confirm when prompted. The status changes to Done and a Journal Entry (Draft) smart button appears. Click the smart button and then Post to post the journal entry. The button updates to Journal Entry (Posted) once posted. Employees cannot be paid until the journal entry is posted. Step 2: Create Payment Report Click Create Payment Report. In the popup, select the export format (NACHA for ACH transfers, CSV for manual processing, or country-specific formats when a localization is installed), the bank journal, and the effective date. Click Generate to produce the report file, which attaches to the payslip. Step 3: Pay Employee Click Pay to open the payment form. Fields are pre-filled from the payslip but can be adjusted except for the Amount field, which is locked to the computed value.- Journal - the accounting journal for the payment
- Payment Method - Manual Payment, Check, or NACHA (direct deposit)
- Group Payments - combine multiple payslips from the same period into one payment
- Payment Date - date the employee receives payment
Refunding a Payslip
To reverse a payment, open the payslip and click Refund. This creates a new payslip with a negative amount matching the original. Process the refund payslip using the same steps as a regular payslip.Printing a Payslip
Click Print on the payslip form. A PDF downloads and the file attaches to the payslip record via the activity feed.Viewing All Payslips
Navigate to Payroll > Payslips > All Payslips for a nested list organized by batch. Click the arrow next to a batch name to expand it and view individual payslips. Each payslip shows its status:| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Draft | Created; amounts not yet calculated |
| Waiting | Calculated; ready for review before finalizing |
| Done | Calculated and ready for payment |
| Paid | Employee has been paid |
Batches
Batches group multiple payslips for a common pay period, making it possible to process the entire payroll run as a single operation.Creating a Batch
Navigate to Payroll > Payslips > Batches and click New.- Batch Name - a descriptive label such as “March 2025 Monthly Payroll”
- Period - the pay period start and end dates
- Department - optionally filter the batch to one department
Generating Payslips
Click Generate Payslips to open the employee selection dialog. Filter by department or job position if needed, then click Generate. One payslip is created per qualifying employee in the Waiting status. Review individual payslips by clicking them from the batch view. Make adjustments to work entries or other inputs before finalizing.Processing a Batch
Click Validate to mark all payslips in the batch as Done and generate journal entries. After validation, click Close to move the batch to Closed status. Use Create Payment Report from the batch view to generate a single export file covering all payslips in the batch.Commission Payslips
For warrant or commission payments outside the regular payroll cycle, create a separate batch with the appropriate salary structure. Select the employees receiving commissions, generate payslips, add commission amounts in the Other Inputs section of each payslip, and process normally.Salaries
Salaries are calculated through a hierarchy of five components: structure types, structures, rules, rule parameters, and other input types.Structure Types
Structure types group related salary structures and define the high-level payroll framework for a category of employees. Key settings on a structure type:- Wage Type - Fixed Wage or Hourly Wage
- Default Scheduled Pay - typical pay frequency for this type
- Default Working Hours - standard hours per week
- Regular Pay Structure - the structure used by default for payslip generation
- Structure Type - descriptive name
- Country - the country this type applies to
- Wage Type - Fixed or Hourly
- Default Scheduled Pay - pay frequency
- Default Working Hours - standard weekly hours
- Regular Pay Structure - name for the main pay structure
- Default Work Entry Type - the work entry category used by default
Creating Custom Working Hours
In the Default Working Hours field, type a name and select Create and Edit. Configure:- Name - descriptive label (e.g., “Part-Time 20 Hours/Week”)
- Flexible Hours - allow variable start/end times while maintaining total daily hours
- Company Full Time - weekly hours required for full-time status
- Timezone - used for scheduling and attendance
- Working Hours Tab - individual shift lines specifying day of week, day period (morning/afternoon), start time, and end time in 24-hour format
Structures
Salary structures define specific pay situations within a structure type, such as Regular Pay, End of Year Bonus, or Overtime. Each structure contains a set of salary rules. View all structures at Payroll > Configuration > Structures. Click any structure to see its salary rules.Salary Rules
Salary rules define how each line item on a payslip is computed. Rules use conditions and computation methods to determine whether a rule applies and how much it contributes. Navigate to Payroll > Configuration > Rules to view all rules by structure. Creating a new rule: Click New and fill in:- Rule Name - required; clear and descriptive
- Category - the type of pay (Basic Pay, Allowances, Deductions, etc.)
- Code - used in other rules to reference this rule’s value; required
- Sequence - controls calculation order (lower numbers compute first)
- Salary Structure - the structure this rule belongs to; required
- Active - toggle off to disable without deleting
- Appears on Payslip - controls visibility on the payslip even if not computed
- View on Employer Cost Dashboard - include in the employer cost report
- View on Payroll Reporting - include in payroll reports
- Condition Based on - Always True, Range, Other Input, or Python Expression
- Amount Type - Fixed Amount, Percentage, Other Input, or Python Code
- Debit Account - the account this rule debits
- Credit Account - the account this rule credits
- Not Computed in Net Accountability - show the rule independently from net salary for cleaner reporting
Rule Parameters
Rule parameters provide the numeric values referenced by salary rules. View them at Payroll > Configuration > Rule Parameters. Parameters list their name, code, validity period, and current value.Other Input Types
Other input types define the additional manual entries that can be added to payslips, such as bonuses, deductions, reimbursements, or expense claims. Navigate to Payroll > Configuration > Other Input Types to view existing types. Click New to create a custom type:- Description - the label for this input
- Code - used by salary rules to reference this input
- Available in Structure - restrict to a specific structure, or leave blank for all payslips
- Available in Attachments - tick if this input can be used as a salary attachment
Salary Attachments
Salary attachments are recurring deductions or additions applied to payslips automatically over a defined period. They handle voluntary deductions, court-ordered garnishments, child support orders, and recurring bonus installments.Attachment Types
Three default types are preconfigured: Attachment of Salary, Assignment of Salary, and Child Support. View all types at Payroll > Configuration > Other Input Types. Do not modify existing salary attachment types that have been used on payslips. Changes can break salary rule computations. Create new types only when required by specific legal or contractual situations. To create a new type, click New and check Available in Attachments. Provide a description, code, and optionally restrict it to a specific structure.Creating a Salary Attachment
Navigate to Payroll > Contracts > Salary Attachments and click New.- Employees - one or more employees this attachment applies to
- Description - brief label for the deduction or payment
- Type - the attachment type
- Start Date - when deductions begin
- Document - attach supporting documentation (court orders, agreements, etc.)
- No End Date - tick for indefinite attachments; hides the Total Amount field
- Payslip Amount - the amount deducted or added each pay period
- Total Amount - total amount to be paid before the attachment completes
- Negative Amount - tick if the attachment represents a negative value
- Occurrences - auto-calculated number of payslips needed to fulfill the total amount (read-only)
Managing Attachments
Attachments cycle through three statuses:- Running - active; deductions are applied to each payslip
- Completed - total amount has been paid; deductions stop automatically
- Cancelled - manually stopped before completion
Work Entries
Work entries are the individual records of employee time, covering attendance, time off, public holidays, training, and other work-related activities. The payroll module uses work entries to compute hours-based compensation and to verify time off balances. Work entries are generated automatically from an employee’s working schedule, and from records in the Planning, Attendance, and Time Off modules. Manual entries can be created when records are missing.Work Entry Dashboard
Navigate to Payroll > Work Entries > Work Entries to view the monthly calendar of all employee work entries. The current day is highlighted. The default Conflicting filter shows only entries with unresolved conflicts. Remove the Conflicting filter from the search bar to view all entries for all employees.Adding a Work Entry
Click New on the work entry dashboard. In the form popup:- Description - brief label such as “Sick Time” or “Overtime”
- Employee - the employee this entry belongs to
- Work Entry Type - the category (Attendance, Sick Time Off, Training, Public Holiday, etc.)
- From / To - start and end date and time for the entry
- Duration - auto-calculated from the From/To values; editing this field adjusts the To time
Conflicts
A conflict occurs when a work entry overlaps with another entry or when a time off request has not been approved. Conflicts must be resolved before payslips can be generated for the affected period. Conflicting entries display an orange triangle indicator. Click any conflicting entry to view the conflict explanation. Resolving time off conflicts: The most common conflict occurs when a time off request is submitted for a period that already has an auto-generated work entry. Two entries exist for the same slot: one for the time off request and one for regular attendance. To resolve directly on the work entry: click the entry, review the conflict details, and click Approve Time Off or Refuse Time Off. Click Save and Close. To review additional detail before deciding: click the internal link icon next to the Time Off field in the conflict popup. This opens the full time off request form. Approve or refuse from there, then return to the work entry popup and close it.Regenerating Work Entries
After resolving conflicts caused by other modules (Planning, Attendance, Time Off), regenerate work entries to sync the corrected data. Click Regenerate Work Entries on the Work Entry dashboard. In the popup, select the affected employees and the date range, then click Regenerate Work Entries. Best practice: fix the root cause in the originating module first, then regenerate. Regenerating without fixing the source causes the same conflicts to reappear.Work Entry Types
Work entry types categorize time records and link them to the appropriate payroll computation and time off policies. Navigate to Payroll > Configuration > Work Entries > Work Entry Types to view existing types. Creating a new work entry type: Click New and fill in: General Information:- Work Entry Type Name - short descriptive label (required)
- Payroll Code - code used on payslips; coordinate with the accounting team (required)
- External Code - code for third-party payroll service exports
- Color - color shown on the work entry calendar dashboard
- Rounding - No Rounding, Half Day, or Day
- Rounding Type - Up or Down (appears when Half Day or Day is selected)
- Time Off - tick if this type can be selected in time off requests; activates the Time Off Type field
- Keep Time Off Right - tick to allow unused time off to roll over to the next year
- Unforeseen Absence - tick to include this type in unforeseen absence reports
Time Off to Report
When payroll is processed before the end of a pay period and an employee takes unexpected time off afterward, the time off request cannot simply be inserted into the already-processed payslip. Instead, the request is flagged for deferral to the next pay period. Navigate to Payroll > Work Entries > Time Off to Report to see all pending requests with a payslip state of “To defer to next payslip.”Deferring Multiple Entries
Select the entries to defer by checking the boxes on the left side of each row. To select all entries, check the box next to the Employee column header. Once entries are selected, click the Actions button and choose Defer to Next Month. All selected entries are deferred to the following pay period.Deferring Individual Entries
Click on a specific time off entry to open its detail view. The request details appear on the left; the employee’s full time off history appears on the right. Click Report to Next Month to defer the entry. The Payslip State changes from “To defer to next payslip” to “Computed in Current Payslip,” and the button disappears.Work Entry Analysis
The Work Entry Analysis report provides a pivot view of validated work entries. Navigate to Payroll > Reporting > Work Entry Analysis. The default view shows the current month’s validated work entries with totals by work entry type. Click the Total column header to add secondary groupings: Work Entry Type, Employee, Department, or Company (in multi-company setups).Period Comparison
Click the search dropdown arrow and select a comparison under the Comparison section:- Current Month: Previous Period - compare this month to last month
- Current Month: Previous Year - compare this month to the same month last year
Custom Analysis
To filter for a specific work entry type, click the search dropdown, go to Add Custom Filter, and set Work Entry Type is [type name]. Add groupings and comparisons as needed for targeted analysis such as overtime comparison by employee across two periods.Working Schedules
Working schedules define the expected hours and days for each employee category, and determine how work entries are generated and how salary computations treat attendance records. Navigate to Payroll > Configuration > Working Schedules to view all configured schedules. Schedules are company-specific; multi-company setups require separate schedule records for each company.Creating a Working Schedule
Click New and complete:- Name - descriptive label (e.g., “Standard 40 Hours/Week”)
- Flexible Hours - allow employees to vary their start and end times
- Company Full Time - weekly hours required for full-time classification
- Average Hour Per Day - auto-calculated from the Working Hours tab entries
- Work Time Rate - auto-calculated percentage relative to Company Full Time; should be between 0% and 100%
- Company - restrict to a specific company; leave blank for all companies
- Timezone - time zone for schedule calculations
Reporting
Headcount Report
Navigate to Payroll > Reporting > Headcount Report to view a period-over-period breakdown of employee headcount by department, job position, or other dimensions. Use this report for workforce planning and HR analytics.Payroll Analysis
Navigate to Payroll > Reporting > Payroll Analysis for a breakdown of payroll costs by employee, department, job position, or structure. Use the filters and grouping options to build the specific view needed. Common use cases:- Total payroll cost per department per month
- Year-to-date gross vs. net pay comparison
- Individual employee earnings history