Employers must enter external payroll data when switching payroll providers after the start of a year to ensure year-to-date filings remain accurate.

Note: GroundCloud® Payroll is powered by Gusto®. Depending on the action being performed, the process occurs across multiple browser tabs.

Preparing for External Payroll Entry

Before entering the external payroll, complete the following:

1. Complete Employee Onboarding

   • Active employees must self-onboard.

   • Dismissed employees must be onboarded manually by the employer.

2. Set Up Benefits (If Applicable)

   • If employees have pre-tax deductions for benefits such as medical insurance, set up benefits before entering external payroll.

   • If benefits are not configured beforehand, the fields will not be available during payroll entry.

3. Gather External Payroll Documentation

   • Quarter-to-date (QTD) pay stub details from each prior quarter for both active and dismissed employees.

   • Individual pay stubs for the current quarter for both active and dismissed employees.

Payroll Documentation Requirements by First Check Date

Understand the Difference Between Check Date and Pay Period

• The check date is when the employee was paid. This determines payroll tax liability and is the date entered when reporting previous payrolls.

• The pay period refers to the dates during which wages were earned. It consists of a start date and an end date.

Example: If an employee worked from December 15 to December 31 and was paid on January 15, the pay period is December 15 - 31, but the check date is January 15.

Exclude Reimbursements: Reimbursements do not impact taxability or reporting and should not be included when entering external payroll.

Entering External Payroll

Adding External Payroll

1. Navigate to the Payroll Setup page in GroundCloud.io.

2. Select External Payrolls.

3. Click Add External Payroll.

4. Enter the following details. Previous quarter data can be entered as a single external payroll entry.

5. Check Date

6. Payment Period Start Date

7. Payment Period End Date

   • Example for Q1 2023:
     Check Date: 03/31/2023
     Payment Period Start: 01/01/2023
     Payment Period End: 03/31/2023

   • Current quarter data must be entered separately for each check date and pay period.

   • Example for Q1 and Q2 2023 combined:
     Check Date: 06/30/2023
     Payment Period Start: 01/01/2023
     Payment Period End: 06/30/2023

8. Click Save & Continue.

9. Repeat for each required external payroll entry.

Entering Employee Payroll Details

1. Click Edit next to the external payroll entry.

2. Click Start next to the employee whose payroll details need to be entered.

3. Enter the employee’s Wages and Benefits (if applicable). Total gross wages, including bonuses, can be entered in the Regular Wage field. Other fields, including Regular Hours Worked, are optional.

4. Click Calculate Taxes.

5. Review the tax values:

   • No further action is required if the values match the data received from the previous payroll provider.

   • Double-check that wages and deductions are correctly entered if values do not match.

   • Social Security and Medicare are flat rates based on taxable wages and should remain consistent. Other taxes may vary due to employee-specific withholdings.

6. Click Save Changes.

7. Click Back to List when all employee details have been validated.

8. Repeat for all active and dismissed employees included in the external payroll entry.

Confirming Tax Liability

1. Only after all external payroll details have been entered and validated, select Confirm Tax Liability and follow the prompts.

2. Warning: This is a one-time action and should only be performed after ensuring all external payroll data is accurate. If done incorrectly, contact Descartes GroundCloud® Support for assistance.

Disclaimer: This document does not provide tax, legal, benefits, financial, or HR advice. Regulations change over time and vary by location. Consult a lawyer, accountant, or HR expert for specific guidance.

Back to Top