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Veena's avatar
Veena
Experienced Cover User
2 years ago
Solved

Unable to add jobs because the total allocated is more than the pay item amount.

I would dearly like this issue to be resolved. Timesheets are used- a full 80 hours is allocated to one job. Problem is: gross hourly rate is inclusive of Tool Allowance, General Industry Allowance and Travel Allowance. Given STP 2 requires these to be separately reported, they have been set up as Pay Items/ Allowances/Fixed Hourly Rate/Automatically adjust base hourly or base salary details/No exemptions. Once I attempt to input the 80 hours for each allowance, the hours for Base Hours disappears, but the correct gross fortnightly total remains, and adjusts as each allowance hours is input. If I attempt to correct the base hourly total hours figure, all adjustments to the base hourly gross total disappear, and I end up with the gross base hourly fortnightly total PLUS the allowance figures... and the message 'Unable to add jobs because the total allocated is more than the pay item amount' appears if I hover my mouse over a red diamond warning next to the base hourly gross total. MYOB will then not allow me to go further & process the pay. To date, I have simply not been reporting the allowances, as this is the only way to continue to process the pay. I have been attempting resolution now for 3 weeks.

  • Tracey_H's avatar
    Tracey_H
    2 years ago

    Hi Veena 

     

    In STP Phase 2 the ATO requires the amounts paid for allowances to be reported separately from gross payments. This means that you would need to reduce the base hourly rate by the allowance rates. The total gross pay should be the same, it's just split into different pay items.

     

    When you add a job you're allocating the amount of that pay item to the job. If the job amount you enter is more than the amount paid against that pay item you will get the error Unable to add jobs because the total allocated is more than the pay item

     

    For example, the amount paid to the Base hourly pay item is $1900:

     

    image.png

     

    If I try to add the full pay run amount to the Base hourly pay item I get that error:

     

    image.png

     

    If I enter the amount of the pay item I can successfully add the job:

     

    image.png

     

    To expense the full pay run to the job, add the job for each pay item:

     

    image.png

     

    Please let me know if you need further help.

     

    If my response has answered your enquiry please click "Accept as Solution" to assist other users find this information.

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  • Tracey_H's avatar
    Tracey_H
    Former Staff
    2 years ago

    Hi Veena 

     

    The option Automatically adjust base hourly or base salary details is selected for pay items that are paid instead of base hourly or salary. For example, you would select this option for leave pay items so when processing a pay run you would enter 7.6 hours of leave and the base hourly hours will automatically adjust to 30.4.

     

    As Allowances are paid on top of the base hourly/salary pay you wouldn't select that option for Allowance pay items. Having that option selected for your allowance pay items is what is causing the automatic adjustment of gross hours when you enter the allowance hours.

     

    Please let me know if you need further help.

     

    If my response has answered your enquiry please click "Accept as Solution" to assist other users find this information.

    • Veena's avatar
      Veena
      Experienced Cover User
      2 years ago

      I have just unticked the 'automatically adjust...' option on all the allowances. I then did a dummy timesheet of 80 hours. Created payrun. Got 80hrs@$27.50 p/h for base rate ($2200), then input 80 hours for each of the allowances. This of course then added the total allowances to the $2200. I then amended the $2200 total to be $2200 less the total allowances amount- Bingo! Same message: The total allocated job amount is more than the pay item amount' and unable to process the pay.

       

      Should I input a new hourly rate as $27-50 less all allowances?...although this is technically incorrect in terms of the contract the employee has signed? (His contract is $27.50 inclusive of all allowances-he is paid well above Award rate)

      • Tracey_H's avatar
        Tracey_H
        Former Staff
        2 years ago

        Hi Veena 

         

        In STP Phase 2 the ATO requires the amounts paid for allowances to be reported separately from gross payments. This means that you would need to reduce the base hourly rate by the allowance rates. The total gross pay should be the same, it's just split into different pay items.

         

        When you add a job you're allocating the amount of that pay item to the job. If the job amount you enter is more than the amount paid against that pay item you will get the error Unable to add jobs because the total allocated is more than the pay item

         

        For example, the amount paid to the Base hourly pay item is $1900:

         

        image.png

         

        If I try to add the full pay run amount to the Base hourly pay item I get that error:

         

        image.png

         

        If I enter the amount of the pay item I can successfully add the job:

         

        image.png

         

        To expense the full pay run to the job, add the job for each pay item:

         

        image.png

         

        Please let me know if you need further help.

         

        If my response has answered your enquiry please click "Accept as Solution" to assist other users find this information.

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