Payroll: Payment Rates Handling
Introduction
This article presents an overview of how payment rates are managed within the Adonis Personnel Manager application.
Rates gradation
In APM there are eight places/levels where you can define payment rates.
Top-level (CONCERN)
Company level
Vessel level
Department level
Payscale table level
Payscale code level
Personal level
Activity level
Global Rates
On the top level (CONCERN) we define Global Rates that should be applied to all the Organization Units in the system.
In total, there are 99 rates available that are grouped into 5 views (system 0 - system 4) for more convenience.
Each rate has a unique code identifier that can be used within the payroll script for calculation purposes.
Global Rate Text/Name reference: GA1 - GA99
Global Rate Value reference: GB1 - GB99
Company Rates
Company rates are rates specific to a certain organization. They are required if you have several sub-companies with different rates. e.g. different national payrolls: US, Norwegian, Maltese payroll.
Those rates are defined in the Organization structure on the Company Level > Properties > Rates tab.
As with the Global Rates, there are 99 company rates in total which are grouped into 5 views (system 0 - system 4) for more convenience.
Each rate has a unique code identifier that can be used within the payroll script for calculation purposes.
Global Rate Text/Name reference: CA1 - CA99
Global Rate Value reference: CB1 - CB99
Vessel Rates
Sometimes the company requires rates that would be relevant only when the person is on board a certain vessel (depending on the Vessel flag etc.). Those are called vessel rates.
Vessel Rates are set under the Organization structure > Vessel Level > Payroll > Rates tab.
In total, there are 49 vessel rates available for usage.
Each rate has a unique code identifier that can be used within the payroll script for calculation purposes.
Global Rate Text/Name reference: VA1 - VA49
Global Rate Value reference: VB1 - VB49
Department rates
It is also possible to have rates specific per Department, although they are very seldom used.
The Department Rates are located under the Organization structure > Vessel > Department > Rates tab.
There are 49 department rates available.
Each rate has a unique code identifier that can be used within the payroll script for calculation purposes.
Global Rate Text/Name reference: DA1 - DA49
Global Rate Value reference: DB1 - DB49
Payscale rates
As we learned previously Payscale represents a payment contract of an individual.
Each Payscale Code/ Table contains a set of payment rates applicable for the person on this contract.
There is no pre-defined number of payscale rates. The admin adds as many rates as is required on the Payscale Table level.
The same rates would be then copied over to the Payscale Code level under this Table.
The rate values copied from the Table level are red.
You can then overwrite the value taken from the Table level on the Code. The overwritten value will be black.
Each rate has a unique code identifier that can be used within the payroll script for calculation purposes.
Global Rate Value reference: X(n)
- where "n" is the rate line (e.g. X1, X2)If the rates are split by seniority it is possible to refer to the specific seniority column with the following formula: X(sc)(n).
- where "sc " is the seniority column and "n" is the rate line (e.g. XA1, XC4)
Personal Rates
Maintenance
In case when a person is on a special contract and is supposed to receive a salary based on the payment rates different from what is stated in the payscale etc., Personal Rates are used.
The Personal Rates are set under the Payroll Module > Rates tab.
In total, there are 99 rates available that are grouped into 5 views (system 0 - system 4) for more convenience.
Each rate has a unique code identifier that can be used within the payroll script for calculation purposes.
Global Rate Value reference: PR1 - PR99
Setup and Configuration
The generic names for all the Personal Rates are configured under the Organization Structure -> Top Level (Concern) -> Personal Rates section.
It is also possible to have different rate names depending on the Company.
For this "Personal List of Rates" option should be enabled for the selected company under the Properties > General > Rates tab.
Activity
There are often cases when a person needs to receive payments based on a rate different from his regular one: Payscle or Personal. This rate should only be applied to a certain activity period within a certain date range. e.g Onboard, Vacation.
For this purpose, we can use the Additional Fields in the activity.
The Additional Fields are set up on the Company level under the Organization structure > Company level > Properties > Misc.
The setup should be performed on the Crew Pool level.
The additional fields will be visible only on the activities of those employees who are linked to this Crew Pool in the Personal Details.
In total there are 20 additional fields available for usage.
Each field has a unique code identifier that can be used within the payroll script for calculation purposes.
Once the field Names are set up they will be automatically populated on each activity of the employee under this Employment Organization. If the organization changes the fields are updated automatically.
The rate values set on the Activity level apply only to this specific activity and do not have any effect on the other activities.
Usage in Payroll Scripts
Scripting
For the rates to be considered during the calculation it is necessary to add a proper condition in the payroll script.
To refer to any rate the formula of the following pattern is usually used →
If you don't remember how to create a script, check the chapter on the Payroll Script. It contains all the necessary information.
Calculation priority
The rates in the script should be placed based on their calculation priority from highest to lowest. It means that those rates that should be considered first have to be placed at the top of the condition. Those rates that are less important, should be put last.
Here are few examples:
Single Rate
Combination of 2 rates
Combination of 3 rates
The Global Rate is the only rate in the condition, so the calculation priority doesn't matter.
The Personal Rate has a higher priority than the Payscale Rate, so it comes first in the condition.
The Personal Rate has a higher priority than the Payscale Rate, but lower priority than the Activity Rate, so it is in the middle.