How to Configure Payroll Settings and Pay Periods in CrmLeaf
All editions, and foregrounded in the Payroll & HR edition. Requires the Payroll add-on module to be enabled for your account by an Administrator.
Availability: All editions, and foregrounded in the Payroll & HR edition. Requires the Payroll add-on module to be enabled for your account by an Administrator.
Overview
Payroll settings define how CrmLeaf processes salary for your organisation before any payslip is generated. There are two levels: global settings that apply to the whole account, and period settings that define the payroll cycle you process against. Configuring both correctly is the first task in the payroll flow.
These settings are separate from attendance and leave configuration, which live in the platform settings area and feed payroll with time data.
How It Works
CrmLeaf's payroll flow starts with configuration. You set the global payroll behaviour and the pay period, then build salary groups, then assign salaries, and only then generate payslips.
Global settings → Period settings → Salary groups → Assign salaries → Generate payslips
- Global settings apply to every payroll run in the account.
- Period settings define the cycle that is selected when payroll is run.
- Attendance records, approved leave and approved overtime for the period are the inputs payroll works from.
- Hourly leave deducts a fraction of a day proportional to the employee's shift length, and payroll reports account for that fractional deduction.
Who Can Use This Feature?
Administrator
- Configure global payroll settings for the account.
- Define the payroll period and cycle used when payroll is run.
- Confirm that attendance, shift and leave configuration is in place before the first run.
This functionality is available only to Administrators.
Prerequisites
- The Payroll add-on module enabled for your account and your role.
- The company profile completed, including default currency.
- Attendance and shift configuration completed, so payroll has valid time data.
- Leave types and quotas configured.
- A decision, confirmed with your finance or compliance advisor, on your pay cycle and cut-off dates.
For Administrators
Step 1: Open the payroll settings area
Open the payroll global settings screen from the Payroll module. This screen holds the settings that apply to every payroll run in the account.
What to verify: You are editing account-level settings, not an individual employee's salary record.
Step 2: Configure the global payroll settings
What to do: Complete the global payroll configuration for your organisation. Complete every mandatory field before saving, then select Save.
What to verify: The currency shown matches the currency you pay salaries in.
Step 3: Define the payroll period
What to do: Configure the payroll period settings that define the cycle payroll is generated against. The cycle you define here is what you select later when you run payroll.
What to verify: The period boundaries align with the attendance data you expect to pay against, and with your statutory filing months.
Step 4: Confirm the upstream time inputs
What to do: Confirm the default shift and attendance options are set. Then open Settings → leave and confirm leave types, quotas and the hourly-leave option are as your policy requires.
What to verify: Attendance for the period is complete, because gaps in attendance change payroll results.
Step 5: Configure statutory and overtime rules
What to do: Set up the statutory components that apply to your organisation and any overtime policies you operate. These are covered in detail in the statutory components and overtime articles.
What to verify: Every statutory item required in your country of operation is represented before the first live run.
Expected Result
Payroll global settings and the payroll period are saved for your account, and the payroll cycle is available for selection when you run payroll.
Important Notes
- Menu names and their position can differ between product editions and can be customised for your account, so your sidebar may not match these paths exactly. Use Search or your Quick Access items if you cannot find a screen.
- Payroll is a paid add-on module. Confirm it is included in your plan.
- Change payroll settings between cycles rather than in the middle of one. Settings changes affect how payslips are generated.
- Statutory contribution rates, wage thresholds and filing deadlines are set by the relevant government authorities and change over time. Confirm every rate, threshold and deadline with a qualified compliance advisor before a live payroll run.
- CrmLeaf produces the payroll and statutory filing outputs. It does not file returns with any authority on your behalf.
Common Scenarios
Example: aligning the cycle with statutory deadlines in India. An organisation processes salary monthly and needs Provident Fund deposits made by the fifteenth of the following month, as required by the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). The Administrator sets the payroll period so that the run and review are complete with time to prepare the filing output before that date.
Example: a new department joins mid-cycle. Because payroll is run per cycle and department, the Administrator confirms the new department exists and its employees have salary records before selecting that department in the run.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Possible Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| The payroll settings screen cannot be opened | The Payroll module is not enabled, or your role lacks access | Ask your Administrator to enable the module for the account and your role. |
| No cycle is available when running payroll | Period settings have not been configured | Complete the payroll period configuration and save it. |
| Payslip values do not match expected working days | Attendance for the period is incomplete, or leave was approved after generation | Complete attendance, confirm leave approvals, then generate payroll again for the period. |
| Salary amounts appear in the wrong currency | The company default currency is not the payment currency | Correct the currency in the company settings before generating payslips. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do payroll settings affect payslips that were already generated?
Generated payslips reflect the configuration and data in place at generation. If you change settings, review the affected period and regenerate before releasing payslips.
Where are leave and attendance rules configured?
In the platform settings areas for attendance and leave, not in payroll settings. Payroll consumes the resulting records.
Can different departments use different pay cycles?
Payroll is generated by selecting a cycle and a department, so different departments can be processed separately against the cycles you have configured.
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