Extra Rules
An Extra Rule adds a payment to the payslip that isn't paid by the hour of a shift, such as a tool, laundry, meal or split shift allowance. Each rule decides how often it's paid, such as once for each day worked, or each time a manager ticks it on a shift.
| Required plan | All plans |
|---|---|
| Required access | Settings and Payroll - Full Access |
Navigate to Menu > Settings > Payroll Rules > Extra Rules.
Choose how an Extra Rule pays
When you create a rule, you first choose its method:
| Method | Pays | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Flat amount | A set amount each pay | Mobile phone allowance |
| Based on shifts worked | For each shift, or once for a number of shifts | Laundry allowance |
| Based on days worked | For each day, or once for a number of days | Tool allowance per day |
| Per hour worked | For each hour worked, up to a limit if you set one | An hourly first aid allowance |
| Split shift | For each split shift | Split shift allowance |
| Selected on the timesheet | Once for each shift it's ticked on | Overtime meal allowance, on call allowance |
| Selected with a quantity | An amount for each unit typed on the shift | Car allowance per km driven |
Add an Extra Rule
- Click Create Extra Rule. Click one of the Example Rules if it's close to what you need, such as Laundry Allowance or Meal Allowance.
- Choose the method card, then how often it pays, such as For every shift/day worked. To choose another method, click Change method.
- Enter the Title, up to 30 characters. It's shown on the payslip.
- Under Staff, choose ALL, a Group or one employee. If you use Jobs, you can also choose the Job/Client.
- Choose Fixed for a dollar amount, and enter it in Value, such as "6.25".
- Enter Apply After, the hours that must be worked before it's paid, or 0. For For every shift worked, it's the hours of each shift; otherwise, the hours in the pay run.
- If it only applies on some days or shifts, choose the Day, and a start or end time.
- Choose the Class, which decides whether it earns super, and the STP Category, which reports it to the ATO:
- For an expense allowance, such as tool, laundry or overtime meal, choose Class Allowance and the matching STP Category. It doesn't earn super.
- For a task allowance, such as first aid, higher duties or leading hand, choose Class Bonus and STP Category Tasks. It earns super, as the ATO counts it as qualifying earnings.
- Click Add.
Percentage pays a share of the employee's hourly rate instead of a dollar amount. The Value is a decimal: "0.25" pays 25% of their rate, and "1" pays a full hour's rate.
To give an allowance to some staff only, such as leaving casuals out, choose a Group of those staff under Staff.
Pay an allowance for each shift or day worked
Choose Based on shifts worked or Based on days worked, then how many it needs:
- For every shift/day worked: paid each time.
- if [n] or more shifts/days are worked: paid once in the pay run, if they work at least that many.
- if [n] shifts/days are worked: paid once, if they work exactly that many.
- if [n] or fewer shifts/days are worked: paid once, if they work no more than that.
For example, a laundry allowance paid once a week for anyone who works uses if 1 or more shifts are worked.
Pay an allowance per hour worked
Choose Per hour worked, then For every hour worked, or For every hour worked up to [n] hours to stop paying after that many hours in the pay run. Hours are counted after unpaid breaks.
Pay a split shift allowance
Choose Split shift, then Per Split Shift, or Per Split Shift, Max once per day.
A split shift is a day whose shifts a Max Spread Rule joins into one. Without a Max Spread Rule for the employee, no split shift allowance is paid. See Max Spread Rules.
Pay an allowance a manager ticks on a shift
For allowances that depend on what happened on the day, such as a meal allowance for working late, choose Selected on the timesheet. For an amount per unit, such as per km driven, choose Selected with a quantity and enter the amount per unit in Value.
Under Access, choose who can tick it: Manager only, or Staff and Manager.
To pay it, on the shift in Timesheets, click + under Extra Earnings, choose the rule, enter the Quantity if it asks, and click Add. It's paid in the pay run that covers the shift.
Pay a set amount each pay
Choose Flat amount and enter the weekly amount. Staff paid fortnightly are paid it twice.
Extra Rules that use codes
Older Extra Rules may use a code typed into a shift's note, such as "PB30". Codes are being retired: the Code lookup method only shows for businesses that already have a code rule, and those rules are marked on the list. They're still paid. To replace one, create a Selected on the timesheet rule, and ask managers to tick it on the shift instead of typing the code.