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You can change a salaried employee's pay on payroll Step 1 in Patriot without leaving the payroll run, either for this payroll only or for this and all future payrolls. Changing a salary during payroll is useful for a one-time bonus or correction, a raise that starts this pay period, or a change to how a salary is split across departments. Changing salaried pay during payroll works for employees with the Salary pay type and the Salary Non-Exempt pay type.
To change an hourly employee's pay rate during payroll, see How to Change an Hourly Pay Rate During Payroll.
How to Change a Salaried Employee's Pay on Payroll Step 1
Go to Payroll > Payroll Tasks > Run a New Payroll and select the pay schedule. Payroll Step 1 shows every active employee.
In the Rate column, hover over the salaried employee's pay rate. An Edit link appears.
Click Edit. A side drawer opens on the right showing the employee's current salary. [Screenshot: the Rate column on payroll Step 1 with the Edit link showing on a salaried employee's rate. Alt text: "The Edit link that appears when you hover over a salaried employee's pay rate on payroll Step 1."]
Under Primary Pay Rate, choose how you want to enter the new salary:
Per pay period (selected by default): enter the amount the employee should be paid this pay period. Patriot shows the matching annual salary below the field.
Annual salary: enter the new yearly salary. Patriot shows the matching per-pay-period amount below the field, labeled with the employee's pay frequency.
If the employee is assigned to two or more departments, update the Department Allocation section. See "How to Change a Salaried Employee's Department Allocation During Payroll" below.
Under Apply changes to, choose one:
This payroll only (selected by default): the new salary is used for this payroll run and then reverts to the salary on the employee's record for the next payroll.
This and future payrolls: the new salary is saved to the employee's Pay Info record and used for this payroll and every payroll after it. The new salary is saved to the employee's Pay Info record, exactly as if you had changed it under Payroll > Employees > Employee List > Pay Info.
Check the Total gross pay amount shown in the drawer. Total gross pay is the salary the employee will receive for this pay period based on the changes you entered.
Click Apply to Payroll. The drawer closes, and the Rate column and department amounts on payroll Step 1 update to the new salary.
To close the drawer without making a change, click Cancel, click the X, or press Escape. Clicking outside the drawer does not close it, so you will not lose what you typed by accident.
How payroll overtime is calculated when salary non-exempt pay is changed
When you change a Salary Non-Exempt employee's salary during payroll, Patriot recalculates the employee's overtime rate if time has been added in the Overtime hour box, from the new salary, so regular pay and overtime pay use the same rate.
A Salary Non-Exempt employee's pay for the period is based on the hours entered on payroll Step 1. If no hours have been entered yet, the employee's pay shows as $0.00 until you enter hours. Enter hours as usual after applying the salary change.
For the difference between Salary and Salary Non-Exempt pay types, see Employee Pay Types.
How to Change a Salaried Employee's Department Allocation During Payroll
If a salaried employee is assigned to two or more departments, the side drawer includes a Department Allocation section. Use the Department Allocation section to change how the salary is split across departments for this payroll or for this and future payrolls.
On payroll Step 1, hover over the employee's pay rate in the Rate column, or over any of the employee's department amounts, and click the Edit pill.
The side drawer opens.
In the Department Allocation section, choose how to enter the split:
Percentage (selected by default): enter the percent of the salary for each department. The percentages must add up to 100%.
Dollar amount: enter the dollar amount for each department. The dollar amounts must add up to the per-pay-period salary.
Enter a value for every department. A department that should receive nothing needs an explicit 0; a blank row is not allowed.
Check the Total allocated line. Total allocated shows the combined percentage and dollar amount you have entered. If the split does not add up, the Total allocated box turns red and the Apply to Payroll button is disabled until you fix the amounts.
Under Apply changes to, choose This payroll only or This and future payrolls.
Click Apply to Payroll. The department amounts on payroll Step 1 update to match the new split.
If you change the salary and the department split at the same time, Patriot checks the split against the new salary. Percentages always total 100% of whatever salary you entered, and dollar amounts must total the new per-pay-period salary.
For how to assign departments to employees and choose an allocation preference, see Managing Departments in Payroll.
Changing Pay for an Employee on Auto Payroll
If the employee's pay schedule has active Auto Payroll, you can still change the employee's salary for This payroll only on payroll Step 1 by running a one-off payroll.
The This and future payrolls option is disabled for employees on active Auto Payroll, during the one-off payroll and the side drawer shows a message explaining why.
To make a permanent salary change for an employee on Auto Payroll, either:
Disable Auto Payroll for that pay schedule, then make the change during payroll using This and future payrolls,
ORChange the salary on the employee's record under Payroll > Employees > Employee List > Pay Info. Auto Payroll will automatically be disabled.
For details, see How to Set Up and Manage Auto Payroll.
FAQs About Changing Salary During Payroll
Q: Why is the Apply to Payroll button disabled?
A: The Apply to Payroll button in the salary side drawer is disabled when the entries are not valid. Check for:
A blank Per pay period or Annual salary field. The salary field is required.
A department allocation that does not add up. The Total allocated box turns red when percentages do not equal 100% or dollar amounts do not equal the per-pay-period salary.
A blank or negative department amount. Every department row needs a value of 0 or more.
A salary over $999,999 per pay period or a negative amount. Salaries must be between $0 and $999,999 per pay period.
Q: I changed a salary last payroll and it went back to the old amount. Why?
A: A salary change made on payroll Step 1 with This payroll only selected applies to that one payroll and then reverts. To make a change that lasts, open the drawer again and choose This and future payrolls, or update the salary on the employee's Pay Info record.
Q: How do I reallocate departments in payroll?
A: To change how a salaried employee's pay is split across departments during payroll, hover over the employee's pay rate or any department amount, click Edit, and use the Department Allocation section of the side drawer.
Q: Can I change a salaried employee's pay type during payroll?
A: No. Changing an employee from Salary to Hourly, or Hourly to Salary, must be done on the employee's Pay Info record, and you will need to clear your payroll entries and start over. See How Do I Change an Employee from Hourly to Salary?