Preferences

Preferences can be set or changed any time and any place in the application. In the Company tab window, click the Preferences button. Elsewhere in the program, access the Preferences dialogue by selecting Program (Program name, e.g., Aatrix Top Pay > Preferences... ) from the menu bar at the top of the window.

Program Preferences

Following is a description for each option in the Program Preferences window:
Currency symbol
Use this field to define the monetary symbol to print on checks. The program defaults to the standard "$" sign. To change the program default, tab to the Currency symbol field, delete the $ character, then enter the symbol you want.
Plural of currency name
Use this field to define the monetary unit to print on checks. The program defaults to Dollars. To change the program default, tab to the Plural of currency name field, delete the text, then enter the text you want.
Menu link to
Select the accounting program you are linking your payroll program to. If this option does not apply to you, or your accounting program is not listed in the pop-up menu, choose the None option.
If you choose an accounting program, its name will appear as a pull-down menu in your payroll program. For example, if you choose Intuit QuickBooks®, your payroll program will have a QuickBooks® menu listed.
Automatic backup
The program defaults to automatic backup. This means that whenever you print or edit a check, a backup will automatically be created when you quit the program. There is always the possibility of hard disk failure or damage to your data due to a variety of causes. Therefore, always keep a backup of your data. If needed, refer to Backing up payroll data .
Support large employee lists
If selected, the Create Custom List dialogue will appear when opening the program that allows you to create a customized Master List on the spot.
In this dialogue, all employees are initially selected. To exclude an employee from the list, click the employee's name. Click the None button to exclude all employees, then you can select just those employees you want to appear on the list. Click Active Only to display only active employees. The Employee List pop-up menu will display your customized employee list as Modified Master List.
If the Support Large Employee Lists option remains marked in the Program Preferences, the Create Custom List dialogue will appear every time you launch the application until you unmark the checkbox.
Auto-create employee lists
By default, the program automatically creates an employee list for each of your different pay periods and your active and inactive (terminated) employees. These employee lists are saved to the Employee Files ƒ folder and are displayed in the Employee List pop-up menu. See Employees for more on Employee Lists
Disable Payment History window on start up
If selected, the Payment History window will not appear upon program startup. You can, however, view the Payment History window at any time by selecting Utilities > Payment History.
Disable automatic Help display
If selected, the QuickHelp window will not automatically display the context-sensitive help window. To display the QuickHelp window, you can click the help icon located in the lower left-hand corner of each window.

Security Preferences

In the Security preferences tab view, the Password sections are grayed out until you mark the Password protect this program checkbox.
It is highly recommended that you use password security to protect the integrity of your payroll data. Password protection is beneficial in protecting your payroll data from unauthorized use and alteration of data. The program offers two levels of password protection as well as password access to the Time Card application. This allows you to limit portions of the program to certain individuals. For example, you may not want some individuals to have the capability of editing your employee records and printing reports.
Passwords are case sensitive. This means if you set up the password(s) in capital letters here, you must use capital letters when entering your password to access the program. You will only be allowed to enter the program if you type in the correct password.
When you open the program and enter in your password, the letters of the password appear on the screen as bullets ( · ). This prevents anyone looking over your shoulder at the monitor from learning the password while you are typing.
Following is a description for each option in the above preference window:
Password protect this program
Select this option to set up passwords for accessing the program. Textboxes will appear allowing you to enter the Admin, User, and Time Card passwords. To turn off password protection, deselect this option.
Admin Password
Entering the Admin password at program startup allows the user to access and perform all the functions of the program.
User Password
Entering the User password at program startup allows the user to access selected functions only, such as editing checkforms and employee records. If users attempt to access a function that is not selected, they will be warned that they do not have security clearance for that function.
Time Card entry only
Entering the Time Card password at program startup takes the user directly to the Time Card application, allowing the user to enter punch in/out times.
The program requires you to set up all three passwords. If you don't need a User password or you aren't using Time Card, enter the same password in all three text boxes. If you want to change your password(s), open the Preferences window and select the Security tab to enter your new passwords.
Default password
If your password doesn't work, or the password dialogue appears and you never set up password protection, type in the default password, password, in lower case letters. Once you are in the program, set up your passwords in the Security Preferences dialogue or uncheck the Password protect this program box if you choose to not have any passwords set up.
If you can't open the Employees tab window and the Preferences command in the Edit menu is grayed out, enter your Admin password when you launch the program. If you did not password protect your program with an Admin password, enter the default password, password, in lower case letters. Once you are in the program, set up your passwords in the Security Preferences dialogue.

Time Card Preferences

Following is a description for each option in the Time Card preferences dialogue.
Time format
The manner in which you plan to enter your employee's hours is set up with the Time Format options. The 12 Hour option uses the standard AM/PM format. The 24 Hour option uses a 0-23 hour format. The Minutes option uses the standard minute (0-59) format. The Hundredths option allows you to enter the fractions of hours in hundredth (e.g., 6:92).
Automatic Overtime Calculation
If you want the program to automatically calculate the overtime hours when you import time card hours into your payroll program, select the Automatic Overtime Calculation checkbox.
Work week begins on
Select from the pop-up menu the day of the week the program should start accumulating hours worked. For example, if your regular work week starts on Monday, select Monday from the pop-up menu.
Overtime hours
In the appropriate boxes, enter the number of hours your employees must work before they begin to earn overtime and double overtime. Then select the period of hourly calculation, either by day or week.
Saturday / Sunday / Holiday hours
Select the proper pay rate for weekend hours worked on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays, as either regular, overtime, or double overtime hours.
If you select overtime and/or double overtime for Saturday, Sunday, and/or Holiday hours, the program will override the number of hours you entered in the above text boxes.

Payroll preferences

Payroll preferences options are explained below.
Store payroll records by
All payroll data is saved by date. By default, the program stores the payroll data in the employee's Pay History records using the Paycheck date. If you want the program to store your payroll data using the pay period ending date, select the Pay Period ending date option.
Reports are generated using the date that the payroll checks were stored in Pay History.
Alternate default hours
If you want to change the default hours (e.g., 86.67) to a different number, select this option and enter the hourly number you want the program to default to. So instead of the standard hours like 86.67 for semi-monthly employees, the amount could be changed to 70. This number would be the default and it would automatically display in the employee's paysheet.
Default to employee hours from previous period
When this option is selected, the program will enter the hours you entered for your employees in the previous pay period into the current paysheet.
Make sure this option is not selected if you plan to import Time Card hours for processing payroll.
QuickCalc™ real time check calculation
When you are entering or changing values in an employee's paysheet, the program, by default, uses a real-time check calculating process called QuickCalc™. When the QuickCalc™ option is selected, the program automatically calculates the employee's deductions and contributions when an income value is changed.
If you deselect QuickCalc™, the program will not calculate the paycheck values until you click the Calculate button. The Calculate button is displayed only after deselecting the QuickCalc™ option.
Include tips in gross pay
Select this checkbox if you want to include your employee's tips in their gross pay.
Per item income sources
Extra Income items can be set to reflect Per Hour, Per Unit, or some other "per item" rate of income. You can name this third rate of income to fit your needs. When creating a New Extra Income item, use the Income Types pop-up menu to select the newly-created option.
Additional setup (optional)
Error Checking Setup
The Error Checking feature enables you to catch errors before recording your payroll into Pay History. For more information, please see Error checking .
Checkstock Watcher Setup
The Checkstock feature will warn you when the number of checks you have on hand is running low when you quit the payroll program. For more information, please see Checkstock Watcher .

Printing preferences

Following is a description for each option in the Printing preference window:
Precede/follow net pay amounts
These fields allow you to insert special characters onto your printed checks before and after both the numerical value of the check as well as the written text value on the check. This is an excellent feature to prevent anyone from writing extra dollar amounts, either numerically or with text, onto your checks.
The program defaults to asterisk characters. You can change the default setting by using your cursor to delete the current characters and entering the characters you want.
Language on check
The language option allows you to decide which language the text of the check should be printed in. English and French Canadian are the only options available at this time. If you would like to use other languages, please contact Aatrix Software, Inc. with your request.
Don't zero out negative value paychecks
Restaurateurs may find this option useful. Sometimes because of deduction amounts, an employee can have a negative net pay. If this happens, the program automatically makes the check amount $0. 00 and warns you. Select this option to turn off this warning and allow the program to write negative checks.
When printing queue, print __ checks per page
This option allows you to print a specified number of checks per page. Use this option for printing two, three, or four checks on a pre-printed laser check form. Your checkform template must correspond to the number of checks per page. Refer to Form Setup options .
Enable MICR check printing
You can print your checks on blank check stock using this optional MICR (magnetic ink character recognition) check printing feature. Just insert blank check stock and the MICR toner cartridge into your laser printer and print your checks complete with the MICR line at the bottom of the check. You no longer need separate check stock for each checking account.
When the checkbox is marked, the MICR Setup button is available. Please note that you will be prompted for the unlock code to proceed with the MICR setup. For information on purchasing the MICR kit, contact Aatrix Sales at (800) 426-0854. Instructions for setting up the MICR Check Printing feature are located in the Documentation folder on the CD-ROM.
Include commas in numbers over 999.99
Selecting this option will print commas in numbers larger than 999.99, making it easier to read large amounts. Keep in mind that government forms like the 941 and W2 require no commas in large numbers.
Reports Font
Use the pop-up to select the default printing font for reports.
Size
Use the pop-up to select the default printing font size for reports.

Holiday Preferences

Following is a description for each option in the Holidays preference window:
Mark the checkbox next to the holidays observed
The dates for the ten "fixed" holidays default in for the current year, but they can be edited in the text field to the right of the appropriate holiday. To un-assign a holiday, click the checkbox to the left of the holiday.
Create Additional Paid Holidays
To add any additional holidays that are not displayed in the Holiday preferences window, click this button. In the Additional Paid Holidays dialogue, enter the text to print on the checkstubs and reports, the date (MM/DD/YY) and how many hours to pay for the holiday. Additionally, mark the checkbox next to the holidays that you want to activate.
Click the OK button to save the additional holidays or click the Cancel button to return to the Holiday Preferences window.
Automatically assign holiday hours
Marking this checkbox will automatically assign and pay the holiday pay for the pay period in which the holiday occurs.
Auto assign to salaried employees only
Mark this checkbox to assign the holiday pay to only those employees who have been set up as salaried.

Employees Preferences

The Employees preferences window is designed to help you quickly set up your employees by having the information entered in this window default into each new employee's setup window. For example, if the majority of your employees are from the same city, start at the same basic pay scale, and/or have similar tax filing status, you can enter default information into this dialogue. This can be changed as needed from the Employees tab window to suit individual employees as needed.