Running Payroll from Session Data

The payroll process begins with a thorough review of session data for the pay period. Navigate to HR, then Payroll Runs, and click New Payroll Run. Select the pay period dates, and PracticeABA will compile all session data, time entries, and scheduled activities for every staff member within that range. The Payroll Review screen displays a summary for each staff member showing their total hours by category, calculated pay amounts, and any flags that require attention.

The review process focuses on identifying data quality issues that would lead to incorrect compensation. Common issues include unsigned session notes (which may indicate services that were not completed), overlapping appointments (where a staff member appears to be in two places at once), sessions with durations that significantly differ from the scheduled time, and missing session notes for scheduled appointments. PracticeABA flags each of these issues with a clear description and a link to the source record so you can investigate and resolve them.

For each flagged item, you have several options: you can contact the staff member to complete or correct their documentation, you can make a manual adjustment to the payroll record with a documented reason, or you can exclude the problematic entry and address it in the next payroll cycle. It is important to resolve as many issues as possible before finalizing payroll, as corrections after payroll has been processed require adjustment entries that complicate your records.

Once you have reviewed the session data and resolved any flagged issues, you can run the payroll calculation. Click Calculate Payroll on the Payroll Run screen, and PracticeABA applies all configured pay rules, rate tables, overtime calculations, and mileage reimbursements to generate a complete compensation summary for each staff member.

The calculation results are presented in a detailed breakdown that shows each compensable activity, the rate applied, the hours or units, and the calculated amount. You can drill into any staff member's record to see the individual sessions that contributed to their totals. The summary also shows subtotals by category, such as total direct therapy pay, supervision pay, drive time pay, and overtime, making it easy to verify that the calculations are reasonable.

Before approving, compare the calculated totals against your budget and historical payroll data. PracticeABA provides a period-over-period comparison that highlights significant changes in any staff member's compensation. A large increase might indicate overtime that needs management attention, while a large decrease might indicate missing session data. Use this comparison as a final sanity check before moving to approval. If you identify any issues, you can go back to the review screen, make corrections, and recalculate without losing your work.

After you are satisfied with the calculation results, click Approve Payroll to lock the payroll run. Approval prevents further changes to the payroll data and creates a permanent record in PracticeABA's payroll history. Only users with payroll approval permissions (typically practice owners or HR administrators) can approve payroll runs. The approval includes a timestamp and the approving user's name for audit trail purposes.

Once approved, you can generate the payroll export file by clicking Export to Payroll Processor. Select your payroll processor from the dropdown (ADP, Gusto, Paychex, QuickBooks, or custom CSV format), and PracticeABA generates the file in the correct format. Download the file and import it into your payroll processor according to their standard import procedure. The export file includes all earnings categories, overtime amounts, reimbursements, and any manual adjustments you made during the review process.

If you discover an error after approving payroll, you can create an adjustment entry for the next payroll period rather than modifying the approved run. Navigate to the Payroll Adjustments section, select the staff member, and enter the adjustment amount with a description. The adjustment will be included in the next payroll calculation automatically. PracticeABA maintains a complete history of all payroll runs, approvals, exports, and adjustments, providing a comprehensive audit trail for your financial records and any regulatory inquiries.