Telfarm Main Page Skip To Main Content MSU Seal MSU Extension Seal
 

DOS Payroll Error Corrections

This software program is being supported through the 2005 tax year. All users are being encouraged to select the PENSOFT® PAYROLL PLUS or PENSOFT® PAYROLL PLUS PROFESSIONAL for future payroll needs.

Note: Instructions are available for printing in PDF form

Nov. 05 Note: If you are currently enrolled in Telfarm for Level 2 (sending your records to Telfarm on disk or e-mail), now would be a good time to check the Telfarm Labor Report for missing pay periods or missing employee information (name, address, SS#).

The Payroll program uses the Year to Date totals for W2s. There are several possibilities that could cause a difference between the Paycheck Totals and the Year to Date Totals:

  • Having the Payroll program open more than one time when preparing and printing checks. This is most common with Windows XP computers using DOS programs.
  • Changing "Power Switches" when problems occur and not resetting them properly.
  • Printer malfunctions causing Year to Date totals to update incorrectly
  • Restoring the program from a backup disk to a new or repaired computer when the backups were not up to date.

Use Selection #17 - Verify Year to Date Totals and Check Sums

  • Turn on your printer
  • Select #1 - Verify totals and print error report
  • If the screen and printed report indicates "No Errors Found", and you have already checked Main Menu Selection 7, Option #14 and found no errors in the employee name and address file, then you may return to the Main Menu and produce your W2s through Selection 14.

How to correct errors:

If there is a discrepancy between any employee's year to date totals and the sum of the individual paycheck records, each affected employee will be listed on the "Employee Taxable Wage Error List". Type Y (yes) to print the additional one page summary report for further information.

ERROR #1 - If Check Sums are more than YTDs

  1. For each employee listed, go to Main Menu #6 - List Worker by Pay Periods and print the Brief Listing for the entire year to look for missing or duplicated paychecks.
  2. If there are no duplicate or missing checks, but the TOTALS (Column Sums) and the Year to Date Totals lines are different Run #17 again and select option #2 to fix YTDs.
  3. Run Selection #17, option #1 to verify that there are no errors

ERROR #2 - If the YTDs are greater than the Check Sums - Choose A, B or C

For each employee listed, go to Main Menu #6 - List Worker by Pay Periods and print the Brief Listing for the entire year to look for missing or duplicate paychecks.

  1. If paychecks are missing
    Prepare payroll for the dates of the missing checks and print checks (on plain paper), making sure to get the summary and congratulations message.
    Run Selection 17, option #1 again to verify that there are no errors.
  2. If checks are not missing, but YTD totals are still different from the paycheck totals
    Run Selection 17, option #2 to fix YTD totals.
    Run Selection 17, option #1 again to verify that there are no errors
  3. If there are duplicate checks, but YTD totals are different from paycheck totals
    Go to Selection 13 to delete individual checks or Selection 16 to delete multiple checks.
    Be sure to get the congratulations message
    Run Selection 17, option #2 to fix YTD totals
    Run Selection 17, option #1 again to verify that there are no errors
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader free.
 
Copyright © 2006, Michigan State University and MSUE. All rights reserved. Telfarm is an MSUE program.
MSU is an affirmative-action, equal opportunity employer, Michigan State University Extension programs and material are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin , gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual oritentaion, marital status, or family status.