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Process a Backpay

Pay a back dated rate increase

Updated over 2 weeks ago

The Back Pay transaction automatically calculates back pays based on transaction values in the employee’s previous earnings and the percentage or rate increase that is applied.

Note: if you require information on Annualised Salaries and Pay Assurance, refer to our dedicated webpage:


Back Pays are calculated for whole periods only. If the start date for the back pay calculation falls mid-period, the back pay will apply to the entire period. Additionally, the Back Pay will include additions and deductions calculated on a Percentage or Rate. To pay partial periods or Additions based on Amount or Units, enter these through Manual Calculations.

When Calculation Details are entered, the new rates of pay are determined for the employee. These are displayed on the Rates tab, and you can update the employee's pay rates with the new values when the Back pay is processed.

How to process a Back Pay Transaction

  1. Go to Payroll, Processing, Transactions, Back Pay.

  2. When prompted, select Standard Back Pay as the Back Pay Type.

  3. Select the Employee.

  4. For Calculation Detail, select either Percentage or Amount. Use Amount to increase the rate by a dollar amount or Percentage to apply a percentage increase to the rate.

  5. If the Back Pay is not to be paid by EFT, untick Generate Payment.

  6. Select Bypass Bank Splits if the payment is to be transferred into the balance bank account and not be split between the employee's bank accounts.

  7. In the Calculation Details tab, enter the Start Date and End Date. The End date should be the actual pay period end date of the last pay received at the previous rate of pay. The back pay will include all pay period end date that falls within the date range. If unsure, print the Employee Previous Earnings Report (Payroll, Reports, End of Pay) to check pay period end dates for the employee.

  8. Specify the Amount or Percentage for the back pay. The option available depends on what was selected for Calculation Detail. If Amount, you need to select the unit that the increase applies to. The options are Per Hour, Per Auto Pay or Per Year. For example, if you enter $10 Per Hour, an employee working a 40-hour week would earn $400 in back pay for the week.

  9. To calculate the values, click Calculate or select either the Rates or Transaction Details tabs.

  10. Select the Rates tab and review the new rates. To apply to the Employee Record, tick Apply new rates to employee on process.

  11. Select the Transaction Details tab, review the components affected by the Back Pay.

  12. Enter a Back Pay Advice Message, if required.

  13. Click Process or <Ctrl> + <P> to process the Back Pay.

Global Back Pay

If you have groups of Employees on the same Pay Class and all requiring Back Pays, you can use Global Backpay if the back pay period is within the last 12 months. We would recommend using Back Pay rather than Global Backpay, if the back pay relates to payments that are more than 12 months ago, so that the Financial Year is correctly assigned to the Lump Sum E values.

This is in Payroll, Transactions, Processing, Update Pay Rates. Select Global Back Pay and complete the required details.

Use Preview to review the changes that will occur and then Update to create the Back Pay Transactions for the group of Employees. It is recommended that you do a Backup before Global Backpays.

Note: Any hours included in Back Pays will not be included in Hours Worked leave accrual. Back pay transactions entered through Manual Calculation using an Addition Before Tax code, such as Lump Sum E, require only the Back Pay value to be entered and will not affect the Hours Worked leave accrual.

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