Researching and Correcting Payroll Journal Errors Overview

Payroll journals are created by the Journal Generator process in OAKS FIN from information supplied from OAKS HCM. For each pay, there is a payroll journal created for each agency. The payroll journal is the source transaction of accounting data into OAKS FIN. Each payroll journal has its own Journal ID, Ledger Group, Date, Source, ChartFields, (e.g., Fund, ALI, Program, etc.) and amounts. There is a line for each separate ChartField combination.  

Bi-weekly payroll journals are created the Saturday before payday Friday. Every two weeks, agencies should review to see if their payroll journal that processed over the weekend posted or if the journal has errors. This section provides guidance to an agency with payroll journal errors for identifying, and correcting journal line coding to OBM State Accounting for posting.

• If payroll (PAY) journal has not yet posted due to header, line, or budget check errors, the journal can be downloaded, copied, updated, and resubmitted as a corrective document. The copied spreadsheet will take the place of the original payroll journal.
  • Only expense lines in error are corrected (those with Account Codes beginning with "5"). Lines with liability accounts (Account Codes beginning with "2") are not addressed.
• If a PAY journal has been posted to the General Ledger in the current fiscal year, but lines need correction, review Setting up Spreadsheets for Journal Entries for creating a Spreadsheet Journal (SPJ) for reclassification.

Edit failures occur in payroll journals for four main reasons.

1. A ChartField value used does not exist.
2. The ChartField combination used on the journal lines is invalid.

1. 3. All expenditure lines require at least a Fund, Department, ALI, Account, and Service Location. If any of these values are missing, an error will occur. Depending on the agency budget ruleset that an agency has chosen, additional ChartFields may be required.
   4. Agency payroll processors should work closely with agency fiscal staff to ensure Budget Tables have the correct Department and Combo Codes for the position/employee.

3. The ChartField value used is “budgetary-only” and cannot be used on journal transactions.
4. Lack of budget.
   • OBM Budget Analysts have the authority to post a budget transfer at the allotment level. Agencies may create and post agency-level budget transfers.
   • Review Creating a Budget Transfer for additional information.

• There are multiple options in OAKS FIN for reviewing and downloading a payroll journal to create a corrective payroll journal. This section outlines a common method. Once corrected and posted, the General Ledger will be updated.