Your Payroll Processing Data Template

Oracle HCM Cloud Payroll
Your Payroll Processing Data Template

Your Payroll Processing Data Template

This template provides the essential framework for mapping your payroll operations by defining the specific data points and lifecycle events required for deep analysis. It outlines the necessary attributes, process activities, and extraction methods needed to build a robust event log within your Oracle HCM environment.
  • Optimized data fields for payroll analysis
  • Comprehensive activity tracking for lifecycle mapping
  • Detailed extraction guidance for Oracle HCM Cloud Payroll
New to event logs? Learn how to create a process mining event log.

Payroll Processing Attributes

These are the recommended data fields to include in your event log to ensure a comprehensive analysis of your payroll processing workflows.
5 Required 9 Recommended 6 Optional
Name Description
Activity Name
ActivityName
The specific step or event performed in the payroll cycle.
Description

This attribute captures the name of the event occurring within the payroll process. Examples include 'Time Card Submitted', 'Payroll Calculation Started', and 'Payment Executed'.

It is the primary dimension for process discovery and variant analysis. In Oracle HCM Cloud, this is often derived from the Action Type or Action Status within the payroll action tables.

Why it matters

This defines the 'what' of the process, allowing the process map to be reconstructed.

Where to get

Derived from ACTION_TYPE code in PAY_PAYROLL_ACTIONS or status changes in audit trails.

Examples
Payroll Calculation StartedTime Card ApprovedBank Transfer GeneratedAudit Exception Flagged
Event Timestamp
EventTimestamp
The exact date and time when the activity occurred.
Description

Records the specific moment an activity took place. This is critical for calculating durations, lead times, and identifying bottlenecks.

For automated steps, this is the system execution time. For manual steps like approvals, it is the timestamp of the user action recorded in the transaction log.

Why it matters

Essential for ordering events chronologically and calculating all time-based KPIs.

Where to get

CREATION_DATE or ACTION_DATE columns in relevant transaction tables like PAY_ACTION_INFORMATION.

Examples
2023-10-01T08:30:00Z2023-10-01T14:15:22Z2023-10-05T09:00:00Z
Last Data Update
LastDataUpdate
The timestamp when the record was last modified in the source database.
Description

Indicates the freshness of the data used for analysis. This is distinct from the Event Timestamp; it reflects when the row in the database was last touched by an ETL process or system update.

It is used to verify data currency and debug extraction latency issues.

Why it matters

Ensures analysts know if they are looking at real-time or stale data.

Where to get

LAST_UPDATE_DATE column common in almost all Oracle HCM tables.

Examples
2023-10-02T12:00:00Z2023-10-06T01:00:00Z
Payroll Record
PayrollRecord
Unique identifier representing an employee within a specific pay period.
Description

The Payroll Record acts as the central case identifier for the process mining analysis. It is a concatenation or unique key that combines the Employee Assignment Identifier and the Payroll Period Identifier.

This attribute groups all activities related to paying a single employee for a specific cycle, from the initial time card submission through to the final bank transfer and tax filing. It ensures that analysis can distinguish between the same employee being paid in January versus February.

Why it matters

It serves as the Case ID, binding all disparate events into a single process instance for analysis.

Where to get

Constructed from PAY_ASSIGNMENT_ACTIONS or a combination of Person Number and Payroll Period Name in Oracle HCM.

Examples
EMP1001-2023-M01EMP5992-2023-W42300000018273645US-NY-A123-JAN23
Source System
SourceSystem
The name of the system where the event originated.
Description

Identifies the software or module that generated the data point. For this process, the primary value is 'Oracle HCM Cloud Payroll'.

However, in complex landscapes, this might distinguish between the core payroll engine, the time and labor module, or an external banking interface.

Why it matters

Provides lineage context, especially when integrating data from timekeeping or banking subsystems.

Where to get

Hardcoded during extraction or derived from interface IDs.

Examples
Oracle HCM Cloud PayrollOracle Time and LaborExternal Banking Interface
Department Name
DepartmentName
The organizational unit where the employee works.
Description

Identifies the department responsible for the employee associated with the payroll record. This is crucial for the 'Timesheet Approval Efficiency' dashboard.

By segmenting data by department, analysts can identify which business units are consistently late in approving time cards, delaying the overall payroll run.

Why it matters

Allows for root cause analysis of delays related to management approvals.

Where to get

Derived from the employee's assignment record effective at the time of the payroll run.

Examples
Sales North AmericaEngineeringHuman ResourcesLogistics
Gross Pay Amount
GrossPayAmount
The total calculated gross pay for the period.
Description

Represents the monetary value of the gross pay calculated during the cycle. This is used in the 'Tax and Benefit Calculation Accuracy' and 'Incentive Integration' analysis.

It allows analysts to correlate high-value payments with processing time or error rates.

Why it matters

Provides financial context to the process mining analysis.

Where to get

PAY_RUN_RESULT_VALUES table, aggregated for Gross Pay balance.

Examples
5000.002350.5010000.00
Is Manual Correction
IsManualCorrection
Flag indicating if the activity involved manual intervention.
Description

A boolean flag that is set to true for activities like 'Data Correction Performed' or 'Payroll Record Corrected'.

It is used to calculate the 'Manual Data Correction Rate' and 'First-Pass Payroll Accuracy Rate' KPIs.

Why it matters

Differentiates between straight-through processing and manual rework.

Where to get

Derived from Activity Name or specific Action Types indicating adjustments (e.g., QuickPay, Balance Adjustment).

Examples
truefalse
Legislative Data Group
LegislativeDataGroup
Partitions payroll data by country or regulatory environment.
Description

In Oracle HCM Cloud, the Legislative Data Group (LDG) partitions payroll and related data. It typically corresponds to a country or a specific territory's legislation.

This attribute is vital for filtering the process analysis by country (e.g., US Payroll vs. UK Payroll) and is often mapped to the Country generic attribute.

Why it matters

Compliance rules and process flows often vary significantly by jurisdiction.

Where to get

PAY_ALL_PAYROLLS_F table joined with Legislative Data Group definitions.

Examples
US Legislative Data GroupUK LDGFrance Payroll
Pay Group
PayGroup
Logical grouping of employees for payroll processing.
Description

Represents the specific payroll definition the employee belongs to (e.g., 'Weekly Manufacturing', 'Monthly Corporate').

This attribute is central to almost all dashboards, allowing performance comparison across different payroll cycles and frequencies.

Why it matters

The primary configuration object that drives payroll scheduling.

Where to get

PAY_ALL_PAYROLLS_F table (Payroll Name).

Examples
US Semi-MonthlyUK MonthlyWeekly Union
Payroll Period Name
PayrollPeriodName
The specific name of the time interval for the payroll run.
Description

Identifies the specific cycle, such as 'Monthly January 2024' or 'Weekly Period 42'. This is essential for the 'SLA Deadline Compliance Monitor'.

It helps group individual employee cases into their respective batch runs for aggregate reporting.

Why it matters

Fundamental for batch-level analysis and SLA tracking.

Where to get

PAY_TIME_PERIODS table or Time Period Name on the Payroll Definition.

Examples
2023 Monthly 102023 Weekly 42Dec 2023 Bonus Run
Process Duration Days
ProcessDurationDays
Total time from initialization to payment.
Description

The calculated duration between the first activity and the 'Payment Executed' activity. Used for the 'End To End Payroll Cycle Time' dashboard.

This metric serves as the high-level health check for the speed of the payroll function.

Why it matters

High-level KPI for process efficiency.

Where to get

Calculated: Timestamp(Payment Executed) - Timestamp(Start).

Examples
3.55.00.5
Processing User
ProcessingUser
The user ID or name of the person performing the activity.
Description

Captures the identity of the payroll specialist, manager, or system account that triggered the activity. This supports the 'Payroll Specialist Workload Distribution' dashboard.

It helps in identifying resource bottlenecks and training needs among the payroll team.

Why it matters

Enables resource productivity analysis and workload balancing.

Where to get

CREATED_BY or LAST_UPDATED_BY columns in transaction tables.

Examples
sysadminj.smithpayroll_batch_userm.doe
SLA Processing Deadline
SlaProcessingDeadline
The target date/time by which payment must be executed.
Description

Stores the contractual or legal deadline for the payroll disbursement. This attribute is compared against the 'Payment Executed' timestamp.

It is used to calculate the 'SLA Processing Deadline Adherence' KPI and identify at-risk pay groups.

Why it matters

The primary benchmark for process success or failure regarding timeliness.

Where to get

Usually a configured field (DFF) on the Payroll Definition or derived from the Check Date minus X days.

Examples
2023-10-28T17:00:00Z2023-11-30T17:00:00Z
Audit Exception Type
AuditExceptionType
The category of error or warning flagged during audit.
Description

Categorizes the specific issue found during the 'Audit Exception Flagged' activity (e.g., 'Negative Net Pay', 'Missing Tax ID').

This attribute supports the 'Audit Exception and Correction Analysis' dashboard by pinpointing common data quality issues.

Why it matters

Critical for root cause analysis of rework loops.

Where to get

Message or Error Code columns in payroll process logs or exception reports.

Examples
Negative Net PayMissing SSNInvalid Bank DetailsOvertime Limit Exceeded
Employee Type
EmployeeType
Categorization of the employee (e.g., Salaried, Hourly, Contractor).
Description

Classifies the employee record. This is vital for the 'Digital Pay Slip Publishing Lag' dashboard, as different employee types may have different processing rules or urgencies.

It helps filter analysis to compare process performance between different workforce segments.

Why it matters

Different employee types often follow different process variants.

Where to get

Assignment category or employment terms in PER_ALL_ASSIGNMENTS_M.

Examples
Full-Time SalariedPart-Time HourlyContractorExecutive
Preview Iteration Count
PreviewIterationCount
Number of times results were previewed before finalization.
Description

A counter that increments each time a 'Payroll Result Previewed' activity occurs for the same case.

This is the direct measure for the 'Payroll Preview Iteration Tracker' dashboard, indicating the amount of rework or hesitation before approval.

Why it matters

Quantifies the efficiency of the validation phase.

Where to get

Calculated during data transformation by counting specific activity occurrences per Case ID.

Examples
1350
Retroactive Change Flag
RetroactiveChangeFlag
Indicates if the payroll run includes retroactive payments.
Description

A boolean indicator that is true if 'Retropay' elements are processed in this record. This helps explain longer processing times or audit exceptions in the 'Process Path Variant Comparison'.

Retroactive changes often trigger complex recalculations spanning previous periods.

Why it matters

Identifies complex cases that naturally require more processing time.

Where to get

Presence of 'Retropay' element entries in PAY_ELEMENT_ENTRIES.

Examples
truefalse
SLA Status
SlaStatus
Categorical status of SLA adherence (Met/Missed).
Description

Derived by comparing the 'Payment Executed' timestamp with the 'SLA Processing Deadline'. Values might include 'On Time', 'At Risk', or 'Breached'.

This simplifies reporting for the 'SLA Deadline Compliance Monitor' by grouping cases into performance buckets.

Why it matters

Simplifies complex time comparisons into actionable categories.

Where to get

Calculated logic comparing Event Timestamp vs SLA Deadline.

Examples
MetBreachedNear Breach
Tax Jurisdiction
TaxJurisdiction
The specific state, province, or locality for tax filing.
Description

Indicates the primary tax authority related to the payroll record (e.g., 'CA' for California, 'NY' for New York). This supports the 'Tax Compliance Processing Duration' dashboard.

It helps identify if specific regions have more complex or slower tax calculation and filing processes.

Why it matters

Segments performance by regulatory complexity.

Where to get

Derived from the employee's tax card or work location addresses.

Examples
CA-CaliforniaNY-New YorkTX-TexasFederal-US
Required Recommended Optional

Payroll Processing Activities

These are the key process steps and milestones to capture in your event log for accurate process discovery and bottleneck identification.
5 Recommended 11 Optional
Activity Description
Bank Transfer Generated
The generation of the EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) file or similar payment output. This is the technical step of creating the instruction file for the bank.
Why it matters

Measures the Payment File Generation Cycle Time. Delays here can cause missed banking cut-off times.

Where to get

Query PAY_PAYROLL_ACTIONS where ACTION_TYPE is M (Magnetic Tape) or E (EFT) or C (Check Writer).

Capture

Logged when EFT/Check action completes

Event type explicit
Payment Executed
The final confirmation that payment has been processed. In Oracle, this correlates to the completion of the payment flow or reconciliation in Cash Management.
Why it matters

The primary timestamp for SLA Compliance. Used to determine if employees were paid on time.

Where to get

Can be inferred from the Effective Date of the Bank Transfer action, or explicitly via Cash Management reconciliation logs (CE_STATEMENT_LINES).

Capture

Logged via effective date of payment action or reconciliation event

Event type explicit
Payroll Calculation Executed
The successful completion of the Calculate Payroll process, including gross-to-net calculations. This event indicates that earnings, deductions, and taxes have been computed for the assignment.
Why it matters

A major milestone indicating that data is ready for validation. High durations here may indicate system performance issues or complex fast formulas.

Where to get

Query PAY_PAYROLL_REL_ACTIONS joining to PAY_PAYROLL_ACTIONS where ACTION_TYPE is R or Q and ACTION_STATUS changes to C (Complete).

Capture

Logged when Payroll Run action status updates to Complete

Event type explicit
Payroll Calculation Started
The initiation of the main payroll run process for a specific payroll definition and period. This marks the transition from data collection to processing.
Why it matters

Establishes the start of the heavy processing window. Used to calculate the total cycle time for the technical payroll execution.

Where to get

Query PAY_PAYROLL_ACTIONS table where ACTION_TYPE is R (Run) or Q (QuickPay) and ACTION_STATUS is marked as started (or inferred from creation date).

Capture

Logged when PAY_PAYROLL_ACTIONS record is inserted

Event type explicit
Prepayments Calculated
The execution of the Prepayments process which distributes net pay to the employee's chosen payment methods (Check, EFT, etc.). This validates that the calculated amounts can actually be paid.
Why it matters

The bridge between calculation and disbursement. Failures here usually indicate missing banking details or invalid payment methods.

Where to get

Query PAY_PAYROLL_ACTIONS where ACTION_TYPE is P (Prepayments) and status is Complete.

Capture

Logged when Prepayments action completes

Event type explicit
Archive Results Generated
The completion of the Archive Periodic Payroll Results process. This snapshot effectively locks the data for reporting and payslip generation.
Why it matters

A technical prerequisite for generating payslips and statutory reports. It confirms the data is finalized.

Where to get

Query PAY_PAYROLL_ACTIONS where ACTION_TYPE is X (Archive) and status is Complete.

Capture

Logged when Archive action completes

Event type explicit
Audit Exception Flagged
The recording of an error or warning message during the payroll calculation or validation phase. This captures specific validation failures that require human intervention.
Why it matters

Essential for identifying data quality issues. A high volume of exceptions increases manual effort and risk of SLA breach.

Where to get

Query PAY_MESSAGE_LINES table linked to the specific PAY_PAYROLL_REL_ACTION_ID. This table stores errors and warnings generated during runs.

Capture

Logged when a record is inserted into PAY_MESSAGE_LINES

Event type explicit
Costing Transferred
The transfer of payroll costing results to the General Ledger. This represents the financial accounting closure of the payroll cycle.
Why it matters

Ensures financial compliance and accurate booking of labor costs. Delays prevent Finance from closing books.

Where to get

Query PAY_PAYROLL_ACTIONS where ACTION_TYPE is T (Transfer to GL) and status is Complete.

Capture

Logged when Transfer to GL process completes

Event type explicit
Incentive Data Imported
The creation of element entries for variable pay such as bonuses or commissions via batch loader or HDL import. This represents the integration of external compensation data into the payroll run.
Why it matters

Monitors the integration speed of variable pay. Late imports often force supplemental payroll runs or manual corrections.

Where to get

Query PAY_BATCH_HEADERS for import completion or track creation of PAY_ELEMENT_ENTRIES_F with a specific source system reference.

Capture

Logged when batch element entry process completes successfully

Event type explicit
Pay Slip Published
The point at which the payslip document becomes visible to the employee in Self Service. This follows the Archiver and potentially a specific 'Generate Payslip' process.
Why it matters

Impacts employee satisfaction. Long lags between payment and payslip availability generate support tickets.

Where to get

Query the Documents of Record table (HR_DOCUMENTS_OF_RECORD) or the completion of the Generate Payslip process in PAY_PAYROLL_ACTIONS.

Capture

Logged when Payslip PDF generation process completes

Event type explicit
Payroll Record Corrected
Manual updates applied to element entries or assignment data after an initial payroll run but before finalization. This activity represents rework required to fix errors or exceptions.
Why it matters

Indicates process inefficiency and data quality problems. Reducing this activity is key to improving the First-Pass Payroll Accuracy Rate.

Where to get

Inferred by identifying updates to PAY_ELEMENT_ENTRIES_F where the Last Update Date is between the initial Payroll Run date and the Prepayments date.

Capture

Compare element entry update timestamps to payroll run timestamps

Event type inferred
Payroll Run Approved
The formal approval of the payroll register or flow within the Payroll Dashboard. This typically happens after validation reports are reviewed and before bank files are generated.
Why it matters

Represents the managerial sign-off. The time between calculation and approval represents the verification window.

Where to get

Query PAY_REQ_FLOW_INSTANCES for status changes or specific task completion within a defined Payroll Flow Pattern.

Capture

Logged when Flow Instance status changes to Completed/Approved

Event type explicit
QuickPay Executed
The execution of a single-person payroll run (QuickPay) generally used for verifying corrections. This serves as a proxy for the Payroll Result Previewed activity.
Why it matters

Frequent QuickPays per person indicate a trial-and-error approach to payroll processing rather than a

Where to get

Query PAY_PAYROLL_ACTIONS where ACTION_TYPE is Q (QuickPay). Count instances per payroll period per employee.

Capture

Logged when a QuickPay action is recorded in PAY_PAYROLL_ACTIONS

Event type explicit
Tax Filing Completed
The generation of statutory tax files (e.g., Third Party Quarterly Tax File). This ensures regulatory compliance for the pay period.
Why it matters

Critical for the Tax Compliance Processing Duration KPI. Failure here leads to penalties.

Where to get

Query PAY_PAYROLL_ACTIONS for specific legislative data group actions related to tax reporting (e.g., US Third Party Tax Filing).

Capture

Logged when specific tax reporting flow completes

Event type explicit
Time Card Approved
The confirmation that submitted time data has been reviewed and authorized by a manager. This status change triggers the transfer of data to the payroll element entries.
Why it matters

Critical for measuring the Manager Approval Lead Time. Delays here are a primary cause of retro-pay adjustments in subsequent periods.

Where to get

Query the HWM_TM_REC_GRP_DTLS table or HXT_TIMECARDS view where the status changes to APPROVED. Compare approval timestamp to submission timestamp.

Capture

Logged when status changes to APPROVED in Time and Labor

Event type explicit
Time Card Submitted
The initial event where an employee or manager submits time and labor data for processing. In Oracle HCM, this is captured when the time card status changes to Submitted in the Time and Labor module.
Why it matters

Marks the entry of raw data into the potential payroll pipeline. Delays here ripple downstream, shortening the window for payroll specialists to validate calculations.

Where to get

Query the HWM_TM_REC_GRP_DTLS table or HXT_TIMECARDS view where the status changes to SUBMITTED. Use the submission timestamp.

Capture

Logged when status changes to SUBMITTED in Time and Labor

Event type explicit
Recommended Optional

Extraction Guides

How to get your data from Oracle HCM Cloud Payroll