This article describes how to work with payroll allowances in Next after the system has been upgraded with a new and more dynamic reporting method. You will receive step-by-step instructions on how to configure Next by setting up article categories, price lists, articles, and favorite lists for payroll allowances, so you can continue to report payroll allowances correctly.

As Next is modernized and gains expanded support for various functions, you can now work more flexibly with payroll allowances.

Previously, you were able to use the fields for meals, business travel, personal travel, and carpooling in Next to report these items in connection with your time reporting. That function is now being upgraded and replaced by a better and more dynamic method for reporting payroll allowances.

In practice, this means you report your work time as usual, but you report your payroll allowances as an article — similar to how you report a machine, materials, vehicle, or similar items. Below you will find step-by-step instructions on how to prepare Next for this way of reporting payroll allowances.

Please note that the old functionality will be discontinued. If you want to continue reporting payroll allowances in Next, it is a requirement that you complete the steps below!

Changes needed in the Next client

To get the function in place in Next, you need to do the following:

1. Set up an article category for payroll allowances.
2. Create a price list for payroll allowances.
3. Create articles corresponding to the payroll allowances you have.
4. Create a favorite list for the payroll allowances.

We recommend that you set this up in connection with a payroll period break, so that you report time and payroll in the new way within the same period.

Setting up an article category for payroll allowances

Setting up an article category is the first step. This is the function that makes it possible to link a payroll allowance for reporting.

NOTE! If you do not see the Article Category option, go to Administration – Groups/Rights. Select the group you belong to and then go to the Administrative Rights section in the lower right corner. Check Article Category. Save and reload Next. Once that is done, you can continue below.

Here's how to set up an article category:

1. Go to Administration – Settings – Types – Article Category.
   

   The Article Category page under Settings > Types — note the Standard and Payroll Allowance columns.

2. Here you create your article categories. Fill in Payroll Allowance for the category or categories that apply to this. Show in Approval means that the payroll allowances are visible when you approve time. Sort Order in Approval determines the order in the list — the recommendation is to assign payroll allowances a low number so they appear at the top of the Approve Hours and Travel tab. Standard means that the article category is pre-selected when you create articles — we recommend that payroll allowances are not standard.
3. Payroll Allowance should be checked for the article category that pertains to payroll allowances. This allows the system to distinguish payroll allowances from regular order lines.
4. When you have set up your article category or categories for payroll, save and reload Next.

Create a price list for payroll allowances and add articles

When the article category has been created, the next step is to create articles for the different payroll allowances that will be used.

1. Go to Price List.
2. Create a new price list that you should name Payroll Allowances. Save.
3. 

   The Price List page shows the selected price list's articles in the lower panel.

4. Now create articles for the different payroll allowances. Fill in the following information:
   • Article Number – Enter the expense code from your payroll system.
   • Description – Enter the name of the article, displayed on mobile.
   • Article Category – Your newly created article category, e.g., Payroll Allowances.
   • Account – Accounting account for the type of expense.
   • Unit – Unit, e.g., pcs, miles, km, days, etc.
   • Cost/Unit – Cost to be charged to the project when reporting the payroll allowance.
   • Price/Unit – Selling price of the article if it is to be invoiced to the customer.
   • Billable – Should the article be billed or not?
   • Owner Project – If you have projects for personnel costs, specify that project here.
   • Time Code – Enter the time code for the article. Used if the article pertains to payroll time and not a meal allowance, travel, or similar expense.
5. Save the article.

Create a favorite list for payroll allowances

Now that the article category and payroll allowances are in place, you need to ensure that users can access and report them.

1. Go to Price List and click the Favorite Lists tab.
   

   The Favorite Lists tab — note the checkboxes for Shared List and Selected Status.

2. Create a new favorite list and save. Fill in the following:
   • Name – Name of the favorite list, displayed on mobile as a separate tab.
   • Customer List – Does not need to be filled in; it is used for customer-specific favorite lists.
   • Shared List – Check to make the favorite list visible to all users.
   • Inactive – If the list is no longer in use, you can deactivate it without having to delete it.
3. Select the articles that should belong to the list by choosing the price list where the articles are located and then clicking Selected — see the example above where articles for daily travel and meal allowances are selected from the Payroll Allowances price list. Save.
4. Now mobile users can report their payroll allowances directly from the mobile app in an easy way!

How to include payroll allowances in the payroll file

When your users have reported time and payroll allowances on the mobile app, they come into Next and can be managed for, for example, approval and export to payroll file.

Time approval works as before in Next, but becomes even clearer now since you see reported payroll allowances together with payroll time.

The Approve Hours and Travel tab shows attendance, payroll allowances, and order lines per day.

Export time for payroll and payroll allowances in payroll file

A major advantage of this setup is that you can export the payroll allowances to your payroll program for import. To download a payroll file from Next, click the Download Payroll File button, where you will also see which formats and payroll programs are supported.

For more information about this and how exports to different payroll systems work, see this article in our help desk portal:
https://helpdesk.next-tech.com/hc/sv/sections/15993558940572-Bokf%C3%B6rda-timmar

Report payroll allowances in Next Mobile

When you need to report payroll allowances in connection with your time reporting via Next Mobile, you do it this way. This applies to the new mobile app.

1. Log in to the mobile app and click Time.
2. Select project, AO/ÄTA, and role, enter the number of hours and a log entry. Save.
3. Select the payroll allowances you are entitled to. Save.
4. Now the home screen displays details about today's time report.
5. If you want to see details, click on the time entry and you will see the hours and the payroll allowances that have been reported.

Process for reporting payroll allowances in Next web app

Below is described the process for reporting time and payroll allowances in Next so they come into the Next client for approval and attestation. This is the process in the new web app.

1. The Time Registration view — note the weekly overview and hours totaled per day.	2. The Report Time page, step 1 of 2 — fill in required fields before continuing.	3. The Payroll Allowances tab under Articles — adjust quantities before saving.
4. The Time module weekly view — verify registered hours per day and project.	5. The Report Time page — note the fields for role, hours, and articles used.