Three Underutilized Features in UKG Payroll
Payroll doesn’t have to be a headache; it can be easy and fun when the right processes and systems are in place. There is real satisfaction in seeing everything run smoothly: hours flow in, calculations snap into place, and everyone gets paid accurately and timely. With UKG Pro, automation, tax filings and compliance become less about stress and more about rhythm and confidence; in other words, it’s like checking off all the tasks on a perfectly organized to-do checklist that directly supports your team.
UKG offers a wide range of powerful, yet underutilized built-in features designed to streamline and simplify payroll processing. Here are a few of these features:
Pending Pay
You can save time when processing payroll when you utilize the Pending Pay feature in UKG. Pending Pay allows users to manage and process payroll items before they are included in the payroll. Pending Pay items can include various types of earnings and deductions, but they are only applicable to regular payrolls and cannot be recurring. Each pending pay item must be entered individually for each pay period. Some examples of Pending Pay items are retro pay, bonus, and severance pay. Also, some deductions can include items such as tools, uniforms, etc.
Negative Wage Audit:
Avoid quarter end and year end delays by identifying and correcting negative wages. Negative wages refer to quarter-to-date (QTD) or year-to-date (YTD) payroll amounts that fall below zero. This situation can occur due to various factors, including adjustments to earnings, deductions, or taxes. Negative wages can disrupt quarterly tax filings and year-end reporting, potentially leading to issues such as employee information being omitted from filings, loss of recouping negative tax amounts, and additional costs associated with amendments. It is essential to identify and correct negative wages to ensure accurate reporting and compliance with tax regulations. Utilize the negative wage report as part of payroll processing steps.
Pre-Open Audit
Pre-Open Audit Reports are internal pre-processing reviews of payroll data designed to catch errors such as incorrect rates, missing entries, or overlapping shifts, direct deposit errors, state mismatch, before finalizing payments. These reports allow you to make changes before payroll opens and prevents issues and errors during and after payroll. This process makes the overall payroll process easier, faster and more accurate.
Underutilized features within UKG often represent missed opportunities to drive efficiency, improve employee experience, and unlock deeper workforce insights. Bringing attention to these features can help organizations maximize their UKG investment, streamline operations, and make more informed, data-driven decisions.
