{"schema":"exacc.help.page/1","url":"https://exacc.au/help/payroll-setup/","title":"Set up payroll","description":"Set up payroll: pay items (earnings, allowances, deductions, super) and their STP reporting groups, pay groups, pay cycles, leave types and occupations.","category":"Payroll","summary":"Open **Payroll › Manage Payroll** and the **Configuration** menu: **Pay Details** (pay items), **Pay Groups**, **Pay Cycles**, **Pay Leave Types**, **Occupations**, **Superfunds** and **Leave Balance Adjustments**. Every pay item needs an **STP 2 Reporting Group**, or it is not reported to the ATO.","lastVerified":"2026-10-09","apps":["app"],"processIds":["payroll_setup"],"start":{"label":"Open Pay Details","url":"https://app.exacc.au/{dbId}/payroll/pay-details"},"menuPath":["Payroll","Manage Payroll","Configuration"],"steps":[{"step":1,"title":"Pay cycles","body":["**Configuration › Pay Cycles**: **New Pay Cycle** with a **Name** and **Period** (weekly, fortnightly, monthly…). Set one as the default from the list."]},{"step":2,"title":"Pay items (Pay Details)","body":["**Configuration › Pay Details** lists every pay item. **New Pay Item**:"],"url":"https://app.exacc.au/{dbId}/payroll/pay-details","fields":[{"name":"Type","help":"e.g. Ordinary Pay, Overtime/Extra Pay, Allowances, Pre-tax or Post-tax deductions, Super Salary Sacrifice, Superannuation Guarantee.","required":true},{"name":"Pay Item Name and Short Code","help":"as shown on payslips and in pay events.","required":true},{"name":"STP 2 Reporting Group","help":"how the ATO receives it (gross, an allowance type, overtime, a deduction type, salary sacrifice, super…). Check it for every item.","required":true},{"name":"Subject to","help":"whether it attracts **Tax Withholding**, **Superannuation** and **Leave Entitlements**."},{"name":"Calculation","help":"**Calculation Type**, **Calculate on**, **Calculation Factor** (e.g. 1.5 for time and a half) and the unit.","required":true},{"name":"Payslip","help":"display order, details or sum only, and **Show Year to Date on Payslip**.","required":true},{"name":"Accounts","help":"the expense account for direct-cost and other employees, and the liability account."}],"image":"https://exacc.au/help/payroll-setup/step-2.png"},{"step":3,"title":"Pay groups","body":["**Configuration › Pay Groups** sets each group's default pay item and accounts (**COGS Account**, **Expense Account**, **Liability Account**). The groups are fixed; edit them, but new ones cannot be added."]},{"step":4,"title":"Leave types","body":["**Configuration › Pay Leave Types**: **New Leave Type** with its **Calculation type** (**Calculate Balance**, **Annual Allowance** or **Not calculated (manual)**), the pay items for accruing, paying out and cashing out leave, and **Loading, %** (enter it as a fraction: 0.175 for 17.5%). **Add automatically** adds it to new employees.","**Leave Balance Adjustments** corrects a balance."]},{"step":5,"title":"Occupations and super funds","body":["**Occupations** (with **Award** and **Award Level**) are chosen on each employee. **Superfunds** lists the funds your employees use."]}],"sections":[{"heading":"Overtime, penalty rates and public holidays","body":["There are no automatic award rules: set up an overtime or penalty item with its **Calculation Factor** and add it in the pay event. The public holidays calendar is chosen in **General Settings**."]}],"related":["https://exacc.au/help/add-employee/","https://exacc.au/help/run-pay-event/","https://exacc.au/help/lodge-stp/","https://exacc.au/help/general-settings/"],"linkNote":"Links containing {dbId} open that screen in the business file whose id is dbId. A person can also open this help page with ?db=<dbId> to get the same links as buttons."}