Payroll and payments

QR code (opens latest published SOP)

Steps

1. Payroll and payments

   Checklist spreadsheet

   The payroll and payments process has an accompanying spreadsheet.
   Weekly_checklist_YYYYMMDD.xlsx
   
   It is kept in:
   D:\nextcloud\moonacres\admin\systems

   1. Open the spreadsheet.
   2. Save As with today's date.
   3. Copy the worksheet from the last fortnight.
   4. Rename the worksheet tab with today's date.
   5. Check all the boxes in column C, if done.
   6. Set all amounts to zero in column F.
   7. Remove all the X marks in columns G–M as appropriate.

   Payroll

   Open Xero, and start with the Farm Payroll.

   1. Go to Pay Employees.
   2. Click on the appropriate PayRun.
   3. Check the figures for any obvious mistakes.
   4. Click Make Payment and download the ABA file.

   Now in the NAB Internet Banking webpage:

   1. Log in.
   2. Select Transfer & Pay → Multiple funds transfer.
   3. Select By importing a Direct Entry file → Choose file.
   4. Select the appropriate .ABA file (usually the most recent).
   5. Click Next.
   6. NAB will send you a security code via SMS.
   7. Check for obvious problems in the payments.
   8. Type in the security code.
   9. Click Submit.

   We now keep a record of this payment in the directory:
   D:\nextcloud\moonacres\farm\accounting\payments
   To do this:

   1. Click on the Print icon.
   2. Select Save As PDF.
   3. Click Save.
   4. Type in an appropriate filename, such as wages_20251202.pdf.
   5. Save the file.
   6. Click Make another transfer to be ready for the next set of payments.

   Now, back in Xero:
   Click Email Payslips, another Email Payslips button will pop up – click it.
   
   Now press File to submit the FTP2 documentation to the ATO.
   A declaration with a checkbox will appear. Click the check box.
   Click Submit to ATO.
   
   Now repeat for all the other businesses.

   Payments

   In Xero, go to Purchaes → Bills → Awaiting Payment.
   Click.
   Look at the list.
   
   If there are any obvious problems NOW is the time to contact the accountants.
   Meanwhile, click the View checkbox.
   
   Go through the list and eliminate any payments that need to be made by BPAY as this payment system does not handle these.
   Generally BPAY payments are:

   • ATO payments
   • NSW Revenue payments
   • Electricity supplier payments
   • Other random payments, which you will spend a lot of time sorting out.

   Click Make Payments.

   1. Select the correct account – generally it is the Trading Account, but for the Farm it is the Farm Main Account.
   2. Then click Continue to review bills.
   3. Now check that all bills have a corresponding BSB and Account Number. If any are missing, you need to hunt them down.
   4. Once all the payments have the details they need, go to the Payment reference field at the top right of the page, and type in Supplier Payments or whatever reference you would like the EFT to show.
   5. The Make Payments screen appears, scroll to the bottom and click Finish and view batch.
   6. Scroll down this list, and make sure there are no weird items in the Ref column. For example, a character such as ~!@#%^&*\/?<> and so on which the bank's internet payment system might reject needs to be changed at this point.
   7. If you need to change something, click Options → Edit Batch. Generally, from Edit Batch it is best to just remove the problematic line by clicking the X on the right of the offending payment.
   8. Then click Save, and you should now be able to...
   9. Otherwise, Export Batch File.

   Now in the NAB Internet Banking webpage:

   1. Log in.
   2. Select Transfer & Pay → Multiple funds transfer.
   3. Select By importing a Direct Entry file → Choose file.
   4. Select the appropriate .ABA file (usually the most recent).
   5. Click Next.
   6. NAB will send you a security code via SMS.
   7. Check for obvious problems in the payments.
   8. Type in the security code.
   9. Click Submit.

   We now keep a record of this payment in the directory:
   D:\nextcloud\moonacres\farm\accounting\payments
   To do this:

   1. Click on the Print icon.
   2. Select Save As PDF.
   3. Click Save.
   4. Type in an appropriate filename, such as wages_20251202.pdf.
   5. Save the file.
   6. Click Make another transfer to be ready for the next set of payments.

   
   In the pop up dialog that appears, in the window that lists the client and the email, check for red empty email fields. If you can ignore them, do so, otherwise hunt down the email address and put it in there.
   
   Click Send; a warning window will pop up, press Send Anyway.
   A green bar will appear at the top of the window indicating that Remittance advice email(s) have been sent.
   
   That is it for payments.
   
   Now repeat for all the other businesses.