Paylocity

1) Purpose / Outcome

This section helps you run payroll consistently and safely. The outcome is a predictable payroll cycle with clear checks, exception handling, and publish steps that employees can rely on.

• Define your pay schedule and cutoff timing (timecards, adjustments)
• Confirm who approves what (time approvals, payroll final approval)
• Standardize a pre-check list before every run
• Standardize a post-check list after every publish

2) Who + When

Use this if you process payroll, support payroll exceptions, or manage employee pay outputs. Also use it during year-end or when a major policy changes (benefits, taxes, pay rates).

• Payroll admins and backup processors
• HR admins who manage employee compensation setup
• Finance/leadership stakeholders who review summaries
• Support desk handling paystub/tax form access questions

3) Where in navigation + Related tabs

Payroll work is tightly linked to Time & Labor, HR records, and Reporting/Compliance outputs.

• Related: Time & Labor (hours), HR & Employee Records (rates/taxes), Reporting & Compliance (exports/forms)
• Employee outputs: Mobile & Self-Service (paystubs, tax forms)

4) Mental model / Flow

Run payroll like a controlled pipeline: lock inputs, compute results, review exceptions, then publish outputs.

1. Lock inputs (approved timecards, finalized changes)
2. Calculate gross-to-net
3. Review variances and exceptions
4. Finalize/commit payroll
5. Publish outputs (paystubs, pay history, tax form readiness)

5) Objects & Terms

These objects show up repeatedly in payroll operations and troubleshooting.

• Earnings: regular, overtime, bonus, retro, etc.
• Deductions: benefits, garnishments, voluntary deductions
• Taxes: withholdings tied to employee tax settings
• Adjustments: one-off corrections applied in a pay period
• Pay summary: totals for review/approval

6) State machine / Lifecycle

Treat each pay period as a lifecycle. Avoid skipping states; it increases risk and reduces auditability.

• Draft/Collect inputs → Pre-check → Calculated → Reviewed → Approved → Finalized/Committed → Published
• Exception loop: Calculated → Fix input (HR/Time) → Recalculate → Review again

7) Core jobs-to-be-done

Focus on these jobs first; they cover most real-world payroll needs.

• Validate inputs (timecards approved, key employee changes reviewed)
• Run payroll calculation and review variance flags
• Apply audit-friendly adjustments for exceptions
• Finalize payroll and confirm employee access to pay outputs
• Support paystub and tax form access for employees

8) Happy path workflow #1: Run a standard payroll cycle

Use this checklist every pay period. Keep it consistent so anyone can back you up.

1. Confirm timecards are submitted and approved by cutoff
2. Review employee changes that affect pay (new hires, terminations, rate changes)
3. Run pre-check: look for missing tax setup, missing rates, unusual hours
4. Calculate payroll (gross-to-net)
5. Review summaries: totals, large variances, negative nets
6. Resolve exceptions (fix upstream data or apply controlled adjustments)
7. Recalculate if changes were made
8. Approve/finalize payroll per your org’s approval policy
9. Publish outputs and confirm employee paystub availability path

9) Happy path workflow #2: Handle a payroll exception (missing hours / wrong rate)

Fix upstream first whenever possible. Only use adjustments when you must, and document them.

1. Identify the exception (employee, pay period, symptom)
2. Check Time & Labor: hours, approvals, corrections
3. Check HR record: job/pay rate effective date, status
4. If upstream fix is possible, correct it and recalc payroll
5. If not possible before deadline, apply a controlled adjustment
6. Add a note for audit trail (who/why/when)
7. Recalculate and re-review summaries
8. Confirm output: paystub reflects change; plan follow-up if needed

10) Decision points (A/B)

11) Common mistakes (and how to avoid)

• Finalizing before approvals: enforce time cutoff + approvals gate
• Using adjustments as default: prefer upstream fixes for clean history
• Not rerunning review after changes: always recalc and re-check summaries
• Unclear ownership: define who fixes HR data vs Time data vs Payroll entries
• Forgetting employee visibility: verify paystub/tax form access paths after publish

12) What good looks like + Checklists + Practice lab + Official docs links

1) Purpose / Outcome

This section helps you run time tracking and approvals cleanly so payroll is correct. The outcome is a stable workflow for timecards, corrections, and PTO requests with minimal last-minute surprises.

• Define how employees record time (web, kiosk, mobile punch)
• Define approval chain and cutoff dates
• Define correction rules (who can edit, when, and how it’s documented)
• Define PTO request expectations (lead time, approvals)

2) Who + When

Use this when setting up or operating time & attendance, scheduling, and request approvals. It’s also your go-to when payroll issues trace back to time capture.

• Time admins configuring policies and rules
• Supervisors approving timecards and requests
• Employees submitting punches, timecards, and corrections
• Payroll admins validating hours before calculation

3) Where in navigation + Related tabs

Time work usually lives alongside workforce management features and connects directly to Payroll.

• Related: Payroll (hours), Mobile & Self-Service (punch/requests), Security & User Access (approver permissions)

4) Mental model / Flow

Time is a pipeline with a built-in review and approval gate. Your goal is to keep the pipeline moving without losing accuracy.

1. Capture time (punches/entries)
2. Review and correct (by employee or supervisor depending on policy)
3. Submit timecard
4. Approve timecard
5. Lock for payroll processing

5) Objects & Terms

These terms drive most “why doesn’t my time look right?” questions.

• Punch: clock in/out record (often mobile or kiosk capable)
• Timecard: summarized hours for a period
• Correction: change request or edit to time
• Schedule: planned vs worked time (if enabled)
• PTO/Leave: requested and approved time off

6) State machine / Lifecycle

Most time artifacts move through clear states. Be strict about approvals to prevent payroll drift.

• Punch/correction: Draft → Submitted → Approved/Denied → Applied
• Timecard: Open → Submitted → Approved → Locked

7) Core jobs-to-be-done

Prioritize these jobs to stabilize operations quickly.

• Set a clear time capture method and communicate it
• Ensure employees can submit requests (PTO/corrections) from mobile if enabled
• Ensure supervisors can review and approve efficiently
• Resolve exceptions (missed punches, overtime anomalies) before cutoff
• Provide payroll with a clean, approved hours feed

8) Happy path workflow #1: Weekly timecard approval

This is the supervisor loop that prevents payroll chaos.

1. Open approvals queue daily (or at minimum 2x per week)
2. Scan for missing punches and long shifts
3. Validate PTO requests are applied correctly
4. Request corrections early (don’t wait until cutoff day)
5. Approve clean timecards as they come in
6. On cutoff day: run a final exception scan
7. Approve remaining timecards and confirm lock/ready status

9) Happy path workflow #2: Employee submits a time correction (mobile-first)

A consistent correction flow keeps audit trails clean and reduces manager guesswork.

1. Employee identifies error (missed punch / wrong time)
2. Employee submits correction request (include reason/note)
3. Supervisor receives notification and opens request
4. Supervisor checks schedule/other evidence if needed
5. Supervisor approves or denies with a short comment
6. System applies correction to timecard
7. Employee re-submits timecard if required
8. Supervisor approves timecard

10) Decision points (A/B)

11) Common mistakes (and how to avoid)

• Approving without exception scan: create a daily/weekly routine
• Letting corrections happen verbally: require requests/notes for audit
• Ambiguous cutoff: publish a calendar and reminders
• Too many editors: limit who can edit time, rely on approvals
• Ignoring mobile training: teach employees how to request corrections/PTO

12) What good looks like + Checklists + Practice lab + Official docs links

1) Purpose / Outcome

This section helps you maintain clean employee data that feeds payroll, time, and self-service. The outcome is fewer access issues, fewer payroll surprises, and faster onboarding/offboarding.

• Define which fields HR owns vs employee self-service
• Enforce effective dates for job/pay changes
• Validate tax-related fields before payroll cycles
• Keep email/contact info current to support login and notifications

2) Who + When

Use this when hiring, changing jobs/pay, troubleshooting employee access, or preparing for payroll and year-end tax form readiness.

• HR admins managing employee lifecycle changes
• Payroll admins verifying pay and tax setup
• Support staff helping employees update personal information
• Supervisors confirming team roster and status

3) Where in navigation + Related tabs

Employee data touches nearly everything, so use cross-links intentionally.

• Related: Payroll (pay/tax), Time & Labor (eligibility/rules), Security & User Access (role assignment), Mobile & Self-Service (employee updates)

4) Mental model / Flow

Treat the employee record like a contract: identity + job + pay + tax + access. Changes should be controlled and time-aware.

1. Create/verify identity info (name, identifiers, contact)
2. Assign job and supervisor relationships
3. Set compensation and pay rate effective dates
4. Confirm tax-related setup is present
5. Enable employee self-service and confirm login path

5) Objects & Terms

Use these terms consistently in your team to reduce confusion.

• Person/Employee record: master profile used by admins and employees
• Job/Position: work assignment and reporting chain
• Compensation: pay rate and pay type (as configured by your org)
• Tax forms access: employee path to W-2 and related forms
• Self-service fields: what employees can edit (varies by org)

6) State machine / Lifecycle

Employee records move through lifecycle events. Keep transitions controlled to protect payroll and reporting accuracy.

• Candidate/Pre-hire → Active → Leave (optional) → Terminated
• Change events: job change, pay change, supervisor change (effective-dated)

7) Core jobs-to-be-done

These jobs cover the most common HR administration tasks for new teams.

• Onboard a new employee record with correct contact info
• Process a job or pay change with the right effective date
• Fix employee login problems by verifying email/contact and access
• Guide employees to update personal info where permitted
• Prepare employee record quality checks before payroll/year-end

8) Happy path workflow #1: Onboard a new hire record (baseline)

This workflow reduces downstream fixes by validating the essentials up front.

1. Create/verify identity and legal name fields
2. Enter a valid work email and verify it (prevents access issues)
3. Assign job/supervisor and required org attributes
4. Set compensation/pay info with correct effective date
5. Confirm tax-related setup fields are present per your process
6. Enable employee self-service access (role/permissions as applicable)
7. Send employee their login path and first-day checklist (paystub/tax form access included)
8. Run a quick report or view summary to confirm visibility

9) Happy path workflow #2: Resolve “can’t access / missing email on file”

Many access issues come from missing or outdated email/contact details and role access. Fix the record first, then retry login steps.

1. Confirm whether the employee is using desktop or mobile
2. Check if an email address exists on the employee record
3. Update contact info per policy and save
4. Verify the employee has self-service access enabled (role/tiles)
5. Have employee perform password reset and retry login
6. Confirm the employee can reach Pay and Tax Forms area
7. If still blocked, escalate to security/admin owner to verify access settings

10) Decision points (A/B)

11) Common mistakes (and how to avoid)

• Missing contact info: require validated email at onboarding
• Wrong effective dates: standardize “effective date check” before saving
• Over-permissioning self-service: only enable fields employees should edit
• Unclear ownership: define HR vs Payroll vs IT responsibilities
• Fixing only symptoms: always trace access issues back to record + roles

12) What good looks like + Checklists + Practice lab + Official docs links

1) Purpose / Outcome

This section helps you manage benefits so enrollment choices correctly drive payroll deductions and employee visibility. The outcome is a predictable enrollment cycle and fewer deduction issues.

• Define benefit plan structure and eligibility rules
• Align deductions timing with payroll schedule
• Standardize life event processing and documentation
• Validate enrollments before payroll runs

2) Who + When

Use this when running open enrollment, onboarding benefits, processing life events, or reconciling deductions.

• Benefits administrators
• Payroll administrators (deduction impacts)
• HR administrators (employee lifecycle impacts)
• Employees (self-service enrollment if enabled)

3) Where in navigation + Related tabs

Benefits connects most strongly to HR records, Payroll deductions, and employee self-service visibility.

• Related: HR & Employee Records, Payroll, Mobile & Self-Service
• Data note: If benefits module is not enabled in your Paylocity package, treat advanced items as Not applicable.

4) Mental model / Flow

Benefits is a cycle: define plans → employees enroll → validate → deductions apply → changes occur via events.

1. Plan + eligibility setup
2. Enrollment window opens
3. Employee elections submitted
4. Admin validation and cleanup
5. Deductions applied in payroll
6. Ongoing changes (life events/terminations)

5) Objects & Terms

Keep these terms consistent across HR, payroll, and benefits teams.

• Plan: benefit offering (medical, dental, retirement, etc.)
• Eligibility: rules that determine who can enroll
• Election: employee’s chosen coverage level
• Deduction: payroll line item tied to election
• Life event: qualifying change that alters elections

6) State machine / Lifecycle

Enrollment and events usually follow a controlled status progression.

• Enrollment: Not Started → In Progress → Submitted → Approved/Validated → Effective
• Life event: Initiated → Evidence/Review (optional) → Approved → Effective

7) Core jobs-to-be-done

These jobs stabilize benefits operations for new teams.

• Prepare an enrollment window with clear employee instructions
• Validate elections and resolve missing/invalid submissions
• Confirm deductions are applied correctly in payroll
• Process life events with documentation
• Reconcile changes for terminations and status changes

8) Happy path workflow #1: Open enrollment run

Treat open enrollment like a mini project with checkpoints.

1. Confirm plans and eligibility rules are finalized
2. Publish enrollment dates and employee instructions
3. Open enrollment window and monitor submission status
4. Send reminders to non-responders
5. Validate submitted elections (spot check edge cases)
6. Resolve errors (missing info, ineligible elections)
7. Close window and lock effective elections
8. Run a pre-payroll check for expected deductions
9. Confirm first payroll with deductions matches expectations

9) Happy path workflow #2: Life event change (addressing deduction impact)

Life events can cause immediate deduction changes; handle them with clear documentation and timing awareness.

1. Employee initiates life event (if self-service enabled) or HR initiates
2. Collect required information or proof per policy
3. Review eligibility and allowed changes
4. Approve and set effective date
5. Validate updated elections
6. Check payroll preview for deduction changes
7. Communicate to employee what changes and when it takes effect
8. Document the change for audit trail

10) Decision points (A/B)

11) Common mistakes (and how to avoid)

• Not aligning effective dates: always confirm when deductions start
• Skipping validation: spot check edge cases before first payroll
• Unclear employee instructions: publish simple steps and deadlines
• Handling life events informally: require documented change flow
• Ignoring payroll preview: verify deductions before committing payroll

12) What good looks like + Checklists + Practice lab + Official docs links

1) Purpose / Outcome

This section helps you enable and support employee self-service and mobile usage. The outcome is fewer support tickets, faster approvals, and employees who can access pay information and tax forms on their own.

• Define what employees should self-serve (pay info, tax forms, profile updates)
• Define what supervisors should approve on the go (requests, timecards)
• Ensure notifications are configured so work doesn’t stall
• Create a simple “top 3 paths” cheat sheet for employees

2) Who + When

Use this when rolling out Paylocity to employees, training supervisors, or handling common “how do I…” questions (pay stub, W-2, password reset, time-off request).

• Employees who need access to pay and tax forms
• Supervisors approving requests/timecards
• HR/Payroll support staff reducing ticket volume
• IT/security admins managing access policies

3) Where in navigation + Related tabs

Mobile and ESS are the employee-facing layer that sits on top of HR, Time, and Payroll data.

• Related: HR & Employee Records (contact/email), Payroll (pay outputs), Time & Labor (requests/timecards), Security & User Access (roles)

4) Mental model / Flow

Self-service is successful when three things line up: accurate employee record, correct permissions, and clear user paths.

1. Employee record has correct email/contact info
2. Employee has appropriate self-service access enabled
3. Employee uses Pay/Time/Profile paths to do tasks
4. Supervisor receives notifications and approves
5. System updates payroll/time records accordingly

5) Objects & Terms

These terms map to what employees and supervisors see most often.

• Pay area: paychecks/paystubs and tax forms
• Tax Forms: W-2 access path (desktop/mobile)
• Requests: time off, corrections, expense (if enabled)
• Notifications: push/email alerts for approvals and updates
• Profile: personal/contact details (what’s editable varies)

6) State machine / Lifecycle

Self-service actions usually create items that require approval.

• Request: Draft → Submitted → Approved/Denied → Applied
• Access issue: Missing data/access → Updated → Retest login → Resolved

7) Core jobs-to-be-done

Focus on the highest volume self-service jobs first.

• Reset password / recover company ID steps
• Find and download a paystub
• Find and download a tax form (W-2) for the correct year
• Submit a time-off request and track status
• Update contact information (if permitted)

8) Happy path workflow #1: Employee gets paystub and emails/downloads it

Use this as your standard support script (desktop or mobile).

1. Confirm platform: desktop portal vs mobile app
2. Navigate to Pay area
3. Open pay history/check list
4. Select the correct check date
5. Download or export the paystub PDF (or email via app flow if available)
6. Confirm PDF opens and is legible
7. Teach them the “next time” shortcut (bookmark path / app location)

9) Happy path workflow #2: Employee accesses W-2 / Tax Forms (desktop & mobile)

This is common around January. Keep steps consistent to reduce repeat questions.

1. Confirm year needed (e.g., prior tax year)
2. Desktop: go to the Pay area and locate Tax Forms
3. Mobile: open Pay → Tax Forms (select the correct year)
4. Download the form and confirm PDF opens
5. If missing: verify employment status and whether forms were published
6. If access denied: verify employee record contact info and self-service permissions
7. Escalate to HR/payroll admin if record is incomplete or restricted

10) Decision points (A/B)

11) Common mistakes (and how to avoid)

• Giving wrong steps: always ask desktop vs mobile first
• Ignoring contact info: missing email can block access and passcodes
• Not teaching self-service: give employees a 1-page cheat sheet
• Overloading HR: route routine questions to standardized scripts
• Missed approvals: ensure supervisors enable notifications

12) What good looks like + Checklists + Practice lab + Official docs links

1) Purpose / Outcome

This section helps you produce reliable reports for operations and compliance. The outcome is repeatable reporting routines that match payroll outcomes and support audits and year-end needs.

• Define your standard reporting pack per pay period
• Define who receives what (HR, finance, leadership)
• Standardize file naming and storage (date + pay period)
• Ensure reports reconcile with payroll summaries

2) Who + When

Use this after every payroll run, during monthly close, during audits, and during year-end when tax forms and payroll totals matter most.

• Payroll admins reconciling totals
• HR admins tracking headcount and changes
• Finance teams for cost review
• Auditors/compliance stakeholders (read-only access, if permitted)

3) Where in navigation + Related tabs

Reporting depends on clean inputs from HR, Time, and Payroll.

• Related: Payroll (summaries), Time & Labor (hours), HR & Employee Records (roster), Mobile & ESS (employee outputs like tax forms)

4) Mental model / Flow

Reporting is a reconciliation loop: pull data → validate → share → archive.

1. Select report template
2. Apply consistent filters (pay period/date range)
3. Validate against known totals (payroll summary)
4. Export and distribute
5. Archive with a naming convention

5) Objects & Terms

Use these terms to keep reporting conversations precise.

• Pay period: the unit of payroll processing
• Date range: reporting window; must match pay period when reconciling
• Roster report: employee list/headcount snapshot
• Exception report: missing data, approvals, or anomalies
• Export: PDF/CSV/XLS outputs for sharing and audit

6) State machine / Lifecycle

Reports should have a simple lifecycle so you can audit what was shared and when.

• Draft (filters not finalized) → Validated (reconciled) → Distributed → Archived
• Revision loop: if validated fails, fix upstream or adjust filters, then re-validate

7) Core jobs-to-be-done

Start with a small set of high-value reports and make them bulletproof.

• Create a standard payroll summary export after each run
• Create a headcount/roster snapshot weekly or monthly
• Create a time exception report before payroll cutoff
• Create a year-end checklist pack (forms readiness, totals)
• Answer stakeholder questions with consistent definitions and filters

8) Happy path workflow #1: Post-payroll reporting pack

Use this immediately after payroll is finalized to create a stable record.

1. Open the payroll summary report for the pay period
2. Confirm pay period filters are correct
3. Export summary and save with naming convention
4. Run a variance comparison vs last pay period (if available)
5. Export a deduction/tax summary if required by finance
6. Distribute to stakeholders (payroll/finance/leadership)
7. Archive in the designated folder with restricted access

9) Happy path workflow #2: Pre-payroll exception reporting

Catch issues early so payroll doesn’t become the cleanup point.

1. Run time exception report (missing punches/unapproved time)
2. Run HR data exception report (missing email, missing pay rate, missing tax setup)
3. Assign fixes to owners (HR vs supervisors vs time admin)
4. Set a deadline for corrections
5. Re-run exception reports on cutoff day
6. Confirm exception count is within your tolerance
7. Proceed to payroll calculation only after exceptions are resolved or accepted

10) Decision points (A/B)

11) Common mistakes (and how to avoid)

• Inconsistent filters: standardize pay period/date range use
• No reconciliation: validate against payroll summary before sharing
• Poor file naming: include pay period + run date in filenames
• Over-sharing: restrict access to sensitive exports
• Ad-hoc definitions: define terms like headcount, active, and period

12) What good looks like + Checklists + Practice lab + Official docs links

1) Purpose / Outcome

This section helps you control who can see and do what, and how to avoid access-driven errors. The outcome is a secure, auditable access model with fast onboarding and clean offboarding.

• Implement least-privilege roles
• Separate duties (time approvals vs payroll finalization when possible)
• Standardize user onboarding/offboarding steps
• Ensure notifications and preferences are set for approvers

2) Who + When

Use this when adding admins, assigning supervisors, rolling out employee access, or investigating “I can’t see it / I can’t do it” problems.

• System admins managing roles and permissions
• HR/payroll managers approving access
• IT/security owners overseeing compliance
• Support staff resolving login and access tickets

3) Where in navigation + Related tabs

Security settings typically live in a User Access area under an admin menu. It’s tightly linked to HR records (email/contact) and workflows (approvals).

• Related: HR & Employee Records (contact), Mobile & ESS (employee access), Time & Labor (approvals), Payroll (sensitive operations)

4) Mental model / Flow

Access is a mapping: user identity → role/permission set → modules/tiles → actions.

1. Create/verify user identity (employee record + email)
2. Assign role(s) (employee, supervisor, admin)
3. Grant module access (what appears in navigation)
4. Grant action permissions (what they can do)
5. Validate with a login test and a minimal task

5) Objects & Terms

Keep language consistent to avoid misconfiguration.

• Role: permission bundle (admin/supervisor/employee)
• Permissions: granular rights within a module
• User access: overall enablement + role assignment
• Preferences/Notifications: how users receive alerts
• Least privilege: only the access needed to do the job

6) State machine / Lifecycle

Access changes should follow a controlled lifecycle.

• Provisioned → Active → Role changed (optional) → Suspended/Disabled → Deprovisioned
• Audit loop: review access quarterly or during org changes

7) Core jobs-to-be-done

These jobs cover day-to-day access management with minimal risk.

• Onboard a new admin with least privilege + training
• Assign a supervisor role so approvals flow correctly
• Fix employee login issues by verifying email/contact and access
• Disable access immediately on termination/offboarding
• Maintain notification settings so approvals don’t stall

8) Happy path workflow #1: Provision a new supervisor (approvals-ready)

Goal: the supervisor can approve requests/timecards and receives notifications.

1. Confirm the employee record has a valid email/contact
2. Assign supervisor role and required permissions
3. Confirm they can access approval queues on desktop
4. Have them set notification preferences (email/push where available)
5. Validate by sending a test request from a team member
6. Supervisor approves and confirms the item state updates
7. Document role assignment and effective date

9) Happy path workflow #2: Secure offboarding (same-day access removal)

Goal: prevent unauthorized access and reduce compliance risk.

1. Confirm termination date and required retention policy
2. Disable user access immediately (per policy)
3. Remove elevated roles (admin/supervisor) first
4. Confirm no pending approvals are stuck with the user
5. Reassign ownership (approvals, reports, workflows)
6. Document who performed the change and when
7. Run a quick audit list of admins/supervisors after changes

10) Decision points (A/B)

11) Common mistakes (and how to avoid)

• Over-permissioning: start with least privilege and add only as needed
• No audit trail: document who changed access and why
• Ignoring notifications: supervisors miss approvals without them
• Orphan approvals: reassign approvals when roles change
• Late offboarding: remove elevated access immediately

12) What good looks like + Checklists + Practice lab + Official docs links

1) Purpose / Outcome

This section helps you connect Paylocity to other systems while keeping data accurate and auditable. The outcome is an integration approach that avoids duplicate sources of truth and prevents payroll-impacting sync errors.

• Decide what must integrate (benefits carriers, finance exports, identity systems, etc.)
• Define source-of-truth per data domain (HR, time, payroll, finance)
• Establish validation and reconciliation steps after every sync
• Document ownership (IT vs HR vs Payroll)

2) Who + When

Use this when implementing new tools, changing payroll providers/finance systems, or troubleshooting mismatched employee data across systems.

• IT/integration owners
• HR/payroll admins validating data outcomes
• Finance stakeholders consuming exports
• Vendors/partners supporting connectors

3) Where in navigation + Related tabs

Integrations touch everything. Tie your plan to the modules that own the data.

• Related: HR & Employee Records (identity fields), Payroll (earnings/deductions), Reporting & Compliance (exports), Security & User Access (service accounts/permissions)

4) Mental model / Flow

An integration is a contract: schema + schedule + validation. Treat each sync like a mini deployment.

1. Define data contract (fields, formats, ownership)
2. Choose sync method (manual export, scheduled file, API/connector)
3. Run pilot with a small set of employees
4. Validate results in Paylocity and downstream system
5. Monitor and reconcile on a regular cadence

5) Objects & Terms

Use these terms to make cross-team discussions precise.

• Source of truth: system that owns the authoritative value
• Sync cadence: how often data moves (daily, per pay period)
• Mapping: field-to-field translation
• Reconciliation: proving the numbers match across systems
• Connector/API: mechanism to exchange data

6) State machine / Lifecycle

Treat integrations like products with lifecycle and change control.

• Designed → Configured → Pilot → Launched → Monitored → Updated/Retired
• Incident loop: Detect mismatch → Pause/rollback (if needed) → Fix mapping → Re-run sync → Reconcile

7) Core jobs-to-be-done

Start with these jobs to reduce risk and keep scope manageable.

• Create a data dictionary: field name, owner, system of record, sensitivity
• Implement one integration end-to-end with pilot validation
• Set up monitoring and an exception queue (what happens when sync fails)
• Reconcile payroll-impacting fields after each sync
• Document runbooks for incidents and changes

8) Happy path workflow #1: Implement a new connector (pilot-first)

Use this when connecting Paylocity to a new vendor or downstream system.

1. Define the business goal (what data and why)
2. Create a mapping doc (fields, formats, effective dates)
3. Confirm permissions and secure access method
4. Pilot with a small employee subset
5. Run sync and validate records on both sides
6. Run a payroll/time cycle if impacted and reconcile totals
7. Expand to full population after pilot success
8. Set monitoring + alerting and define support ownership

9) Happy path workflow #2: Troubleshoot a mismatch (employee missing / wrong value)

Most issues are mapping, timing, or ownership conflicts. Use a systematic approach.

1. Identify the mismatch precisely (field, employee, date)
2. Check source-of-truth system value
3. Check last sync time and whether a failure occurred
4. Review mapping rules (format, required fields, effective date)
5. Correct source data or mapping configuration
6. Re-run sync for the affected scope
7. Validate outcome and document root cause
8. Add a guardrail (validation rule or monitoring alert)

10) Decision points (A/B)

11) Common mistakes (and how to avoid)

• No source-of-truth agreement: define ownership before building
• Skipping pilot: always test with a small subset first
• No reconciliation: verify payroll-impacting fields every cycle
• Over-automating early: stabilize mappings before increasing cadence
• Weak incident response: create runbooks for failure scenarios

12) What good looks like + Checklists + Practice lab + Official docs links