Set Up Employees

You MUST setup a driver in Driver Records before you can use Payroll Setup.

Note: You MUST use the <Enter> key or the <Tab> key located on your keyboard to move through the Payroll Setup window in sequence. It is necessary for The Truckers Helper program to add zeros to unused number fields as you move through the fields.

1. Display the Payroll Setup window as outlined in About Payroll.

Note: It is important that you view the Tutor from the Payroll Setup window to thoroughly understand how these feature works.

Note: The Federal Tax Tables for the current year are included in the database. An Import feature is provided in the Tax Tables window to import future years tables. The Truckers Helper plans to make this feature available as part of our Priority Service. If you have State Income Tax you MUST enter these tables manually, or contact us for information on purchasing the state table. For information on adding state taxes see also State Taxes.

2. Choose a Drivers Name from the pulldown list.

If Requested Record Not Found:

1. A dialog is displayed indicating "Requested record not found."

2. Click Yes to add driver now.

3. The Truckers Helper program advances to the Pay Type.

Payroll Setup Supports Four Types Of Payroll:

• Mileage - You can pay two rates, Empty or Loaded based on actual miles or rate miles. The Truckers Helper program searches for the miles from Mileage Tracking (actual miles), or from Billing (rate miles). Bobtail miles will not be paid, so if you are paying for Bobtail miles enter the Trailer Number as 0 (zero) and show the status as Empty (E) or Loaded (L).
  
  Special Pay - check this box if you pay a Flat Rate for some or all loads. This will be paid instead of your regular pay when you enter a pay amount in the Billing page. In order for this to work correctly you MUST also enter a "default" pay rate for this driver. Setup a mileage or percentage rate even if you expect to enter the amount to pay in Billing for every load.
  NOTE: You MUST have a default payroll type setup (mileage pay or percentage) even if you expect to always use the Load Pays box to enter payroll.  

• Percentage - You can specify a percentage to pay. The Truckers Helper program searches the amount the load paid from Billing.

• Per Diem - You can pay an employee an allowance for daily expenses, which includes mileage, lodging, and meals.
  NOTE: Per Diem is not taxable and will not be taxed when you calculate your payroll.

• Salary - You can enter the salary amount in Payroll Setup.

Note: If you are paying a flat rate you need to enter this rate manually. If you are paying a combination of salary and mileage or percentage, you can use one method for Import and put the other in manually under Other Pay. For further information see also Special Payroll Cases.

To Enter Pay Type for Mileage:

1. Select the Mileage check box.

• For Same Rate Loaded and Empty enter the same rate in both the Rate Empty field and Rate Loaded field.

• For Split Rate enter a rate in the Rate Empty field, and a rate in the Rate Loaded field.

• For Pay Loaded Only enter 0 (zero) in the Rate Empty field and in the Rate Loaded field.

• For Pay Single Rate enter the pay rate in the Rate Empty field, and enter 0 (zero) in the Rate Loaded field (i.e., if you do not want to separate the empty and loaded miles, and pay the same rate for both loads).

2. For the Pay choose from:

• Actual Miles - If you are paying based on actual miles select the Actual Miles check box. From the Mileage Tracking window add a mileage record. The Truckers Helper program searches for the empty and loaded miles.

• Rate Miles - If you are paying based on rate miles select the Rate Miles check box. From the Billing window enter the empty Rate Miles in the Rate 1 column, and enter the loaded Rate Miles in the Rate 2 column. If you do not want to separate the empty and loaded miles you MUST setup the pay rate as shown above for Pay Single Rate and enter the pay miles in the Rate 1 column only.

Note: For further information see also Split Loads (one truck picks up and another delivers).

To Enter Pay Type for Percentage:

1. Select the Percentage check box.

2. Enter the rate of the % of Billed Amount. The Truckers Helper program searches the amount billed from Billing when you import Payroll, and searches the percentage to use from Payroll Setup. (See note above regarding Split Loads.)

3. Select the Additional Pay check box, if you pay your driver a percentage of other amounts that are billed.

4. Enter the rate of the % of Billed Other Amount, if applicable.

5. Select the Load/Unload Pay check box, if you pay your driver a percentage of loading and unloading, which is billed to the customer in Billing.

6. Enter the rate of the % of Billed Loading Amount, if applicable.

To Enter Pay Type for Per Diem:

1. Select the Per Diem check box.

2. Enter the Per Diem amount, if you pay your drivers per diem.

3. Select the /Mile check box, if you pay the per diem based on a per mile basis.

4. Select the Other check box, if you pay on some other basis.

5. Select the Deduct from Mile Pay box if you want the program to deduct the Per Diem amount from the mileage page - leave this box blank if you want the program to treat the Per Diem as a separate amount.
   (i.e. if you pay Per Diem on a per mile basis in addition to the mileage pay leave the box blank - if you pay an Other amount (so much per day for example) and you want the program to deduct this from the mileage pay then check the box.)

Note: When importing payroll with the Other check box selected, The Truckers Helper displays a message dialog box indicating "What is the Per Diem basis for the pay period?" If the /Mile check box is selected the program assigns this from the miles entered.
The Per Diem amount is not taxed.

To Enter Pay Type for Salary:

1. Select the Salary check box

2. Enter the Rate, if you pay your driver a salary.

3. Select the appropriate type (i.e, Hourly, Weekly, Monthly).

Note: Be sure to select the Auto Pay When Delivered check box listed under Pay Frequency.

To Enter Pay Frequency:

1. Select the appropriate Pay Frequency check box you pay this employee (i.e., Weekly, Biweekly, Semi-Monthly, Monthly).

2. Select the Auto Pay When Delivered check box, if you auto pay a driver when a load is delivered. (The Truckers Helper import all loads delivered during the week.)

Note: For the Auto Pay feature to work correctly you MUST keep your Loads section current, either by entering Pickup/Delivery dates in Loads, or in Dispatch. Your mileage MUST also be up to date. It is suggested you use Auto Pay for salaried employees.

2. Select the Let Me Select ProNumber check box, if you wish to select the ProNumber. (The Truckers Helper will not import loads, but allows you to enter the loads to pay in Payroll.)

To Enter Team Driver:

1. Select the Team Driver check box, if you are paying a team truck.

2. The Spcl1 and Spcl2 check boxes are reserved for special functions. If you have a special function for your payroll you will receive instructions on how to activate these options.

Note: The Truckers Helper program determines which tax table to use for the employee, and corrects the start date for the payroll period.

To Enter Deductions:

1. Select the appropriate Type of deduction check box for this employee.

2. Enter the amount of the deduction.

3. Select the Monthly check box, if the deduction is taken monthly.

4. If the monthly check box is selected The Truckers Helper displays a message dialog indicating "Whether or not to deduct the amount each pay period." If the monthly check box is not selected The Truckers Helper deducts the amount each pay period as a default.

Note: If you have a deduction that is a percentage of the Gross Pay, it is suggested that you use the last deduction type field to enter the Type, and select the % check box. The Truckers Helper program calculates the percentage entered in the Amount field multiplied by the Gross Pay to determine the amount of the deduction.

Note: If you have a Percentage deduction this will not be added to the Deductions until you calculate the payroll. Since the percentage cannot be calculated until the payroll is completely entered, The Truckers Helper program will not add this deduction when you click the Import button. It will add it when you calculate the payroll for the driver.

Deductions That Are Income:

Deductions are exported to Income & Expenses as Type Other. This is because most deductions are for items that are accounted for elsewhere in The Truckers Helper program, and should not be accounted for twice when deducted from Payroll.

If you have a deduction that should be treated as an Income, name the deduction type and add the word Fee. For example, a leasing fee would be labeled Leasing Fee. The Truckers Helper program treats any deduction that ends in the word Fee as Income instead of Other.

Escrow Deduction:

If you wish to maintain escrow accounts for your drivers you MUST set up the accounts in Payroll Setup, then The Truckers Helper includes escrows when you Run Payroll.

1. Select the Escrow check box to set up a deduction for an escrow account.

2. Enter the amount of the deduction from each pay period in the Deduction field.

3. Enter the maximum you want to maintain in the Escrow Account in the Acct Max field.

4. The Truckers Helper deducts the amount every pay period until the maximum is reached.

For further details see also Company Escrow Accounts. For information on paying interest on escrow accounts see also Escrow Interest Setup.

Pretax Deductions:

If you offer a simple plan or 401K type savings plan for your employees you can set that up in the deductions section. When you get to the deductions section, make any of the entries above and then click the Pretax button at the bottom of the Deductions section. The Pretax deduction box will appear. When turned on the amount of the Pretax deduction will be deducted from the taxable amount before the federal income tax is calculated. It will not affect the amount withheld for FICA or MEDI, or state taxes.

1. Check the first check box to turn on Pretax deductions.

2. Enter the name of the Pretax account in the next box. THIS NAME MUST START WITH PRETAX ....  For example: Pretax Savings, or Pretax Deductions, something along that line as long as it starts with Pretax. The program will create this as a LIABILITY account and will create an entry for it when you run payroll.

3. Enter the EMPLOYEE deduction amount. This should be a percentage of the drivers pay.

4. Put a check in the Percent check box.

5. If you are offering a matching percentage, put a check in the next check box to turn on employer match.

6. Enter the name of the EXPENSE account which you will use to track your matching payments.

7. Enter the amount which you will match. This is a percentage of the driver pay and should represent the maximum amount which you will match. For example if you have a simple plan and are going to match the employees deduction up to 3% of the employees gross pay, put a 3 in this box. PUT THE PERCENTAGE IN THIS BOX NOT THE DECIMAL NUMBER. So for 3% you would enter 3 not .03.

8. Put a check in the Percent box.

If you don't have a Cafeteria Plan press enter or click the Close PreTax Window button to close this window. The highlight should move to the Federal Tax check box.

Cafeteria Plans:

If you offer a Cafeteria Plan or SECTION 125 DOCUMENT plan you can turn this on by checking the Cafeteria Plan check box. Checking this box will cause the program to deduct any employee contributions for Health Insurance on a PreTax basis. After checking the box enter the EFFECTIVE DATE in the next field. YOU MUST ENTER AN EFFECTIVE DATE if you turn on the Cafeteria Plan.

ATTENTION: Once you turn on the Cafeteria Plan the program will not calculate taxes correctly if you turn it off during the current year! It is assumed that once you start this type of plan you will keep it.

If your state allows you to deduct Cafeteria amounts from the state unemployment insurance you pay check this box. This varies from state to state so check with your state taxing authority or tax accountant before you check this box.

To Enter Taxes:

1. Select the appropriate Tax Information check box to withhold taxes for this employee.

• Select the Federal Income Tax check box if you are setting up an employee who requires tax deductions. Do not select the Federal Income Tax check box for Owner Operator. The Truckers Helper will generate a Form 1099 at the end of the year.

• If your employee has requested that you withhold extra federal income tax enter the amount to withhold in the Additional Withholding box.

• Select the State Income Tax check box if you have state income taxes AND YOU HAVE THE STATE TABLE INSTALLED!  Please contact us for information on getting the state tables.

• Select the Other Tax check box to add taxes not covered by The Truckers Helper, and add a table to the Tax Tables. For further information see also Other Taxes.

2. Enter the correct percentages and wage base where applicable.  These may change from year to year, so please check your Circular E, or check with your tax professional, for the current amounts.

3. Select the appropriate Status check box (i.e., Single, Married, Other).

4. Enter the appropriate number of Dependants.

5. Enter the appropriate number of Exemptions, if applicable. (Only used in certain State tax calculations. Check the instructions that come with your state tax table for specifics on entering Exemptions.)

To Assign Truck:

1. After you complete the Tax Information press the Enter key located on your keyboard.

2. The Assign Truck button is activated.

3. Press the Enter key again to display the Truck Assignment window.

4. From the Truck Assignment window click the Add button to start a new record.

5. Enter the Date. (The Driver MUST be assigned for the full pay period. For example, if you are paying weekly then the Driver MUST be assigned to the truck eight days prior to the end of the pay week.)

6. Enter the Truck Number the employee is assigned to. For salaried employees enter N/A.  IF YOU SLIP SEAT - enter "SLIP" for the truck number.  See NOTE below on how loads are assigned to drivers.

7. Click the Save button to save the record and exit the Truck Assignment window.

NOTE: The Truckers Helper will assign each load to the appropriate driver in the Loads section when the load information is entered. The driver will be assigned based on the truck number the load is assigned to. The program will get the driver assignment from the assignments here in payroll setup. If you slip seat, a list of drivers will come up and you can assign the driver from the list. It is important to keep the truck assignments current so you will have the proper driver assigned to each load if you are not slip seating.

After all Payroll Setup data has been completed, click the Save button located on the bottom toolbar.

For further information on using Payroll see also Run Payroll.  For information on paying the TRUCK OWNER instead of the driver click the link.