Your Payroll Processing Data Template

UKG Pro
Your Payroll Processing Data Template

Your Payroll Processing Data Template

This template provides the structural foundation for mapping your payroll cycles within UKG Pro to gain actionable insights. It details the necessary attributes for deep analysis, the specific process steps you should monitor, and instructions for gathering this information from your system environment. By aligning your data with this template, you can effectively pinpoint inefficiencies and ensure payroll compliance.
  • Standardized data attributes for payroll analysis
  • Essential process milestones to track in UKG Pro
  • Technical extraction guidance for system integration
New to event logs? Learn how to create a process mining event log.

Payroll Processing Attributes

This table identifies the recommended data fields and contextual metadata required to build a comprehensive event log for your payroll process analysis.
5 Required 12 Recommended 3 Optional
Name Description
Activity
ActivityName
The specific event or step performed in the payroll process.
Description

This attribute captures the name of the step occurring within the payroll workflow, such as Time Sheet Submitted, Gross Pay Calculated, or Payment Executed. It defines the flow of the process map.

These values are typically extracted from audit logs, system status change tables, or timestamped transactional updates within the UKG Pro environment. Consistent naming conventions are applied during data transformation to ensure readability in the process graph.

Why it matters

This is the mandatory Activity attribute that defines the nodes in the process map.

Where to get

System Audit Logs, Workflow History, or Transaction Timestamp columns

Examples
Time Sheet SubmittedGross Pay CalculatedPayment Executed
Last Update Date
LastUpdateDate
The timestamp of the most recent modification to the data row.
Description

This attribute indicates when the record was last changed in the database. While similar to the event timestamp, it is specifically used for incremental data loading and data integrity checks.

It ensures that the process mining model reflects the most current state of the payroll record, capturing any late adjustments or retroactive corrections made by payroll specialists.

Why it matters

Mandatory attribute for incremental data refreshing.

Where to get

System metadata columns like LastModifiedDate

Examples
2023-10-05T17:00:00Z2023-10-06T09:00:00Z
Payroll Record
PayrollRecordId
Unique identifier representing a specific employee within a specific pay period.
Description

The Payroll Record acts as the central case identifier for the process mining analysis. It is conceptually constructed by combining the Employee ID and the Pay Period End Date (or Pay Group instance). This ensures that every payroll cycle for an individual employee is treated as a distinct case, allowing for the analysis of recurring processes over time.

In UKG Pro, this is typically a composite key derived from the Payroll Header table or similar transactional records. Grouping by this ID allows analysts to reconstruct the end-to-end journey from time sheet submission to final payment and tax filing.

Why it matters

This is the mandatory Case ID that groups all payroll activities together to form a process instance.

Where to get

Derived from UKG Pro Payroll Header or Employee Pay History tables

Examples
EMP001-20231015EMP492-20231031EMP883-20231115
Source System
SourceSystem
The system of record for the data.
Description

This attribute identifies the origin of the data record. In this specific context, the value is statically set to UKG Pro (or the specific instance name if multiple exist). This is crucial for multi-system process mining where payroll data might be blended with general ledger data from an ERP.

It allows analysts to filter views to show only steps originating strictly within the payroll platform versus those that might be integrated from external time-keeping systems.

Why it matters

Mandatory attribute for data lineage and multi-system analysis.

Where to get

Static value or System Configuration table

Examples
UKG ProUltiPro LegacyTime Management System
Timestamp
EventTimestamp
The date and time when the activity occurred.
Description

This attribute records the exact moment an activity took place. It is essential for sequencing events correctly and calculating durations between steps. High precision timestamps are preferred to distinguish between automated steps that happen in rapid succession.

In the context of Payroll, this drives the dashboard analysis for Cycle Time Distribution and SLA Compliance. Without accurate timestamps, it is impossible to measure the velocity of Gross to Net calculations or the delay in Time Sheet Approvals.

Why it matters

This is the mandatory StartTime attribute required to sequence events.

Where to get

Date/Time columns associated with transaction status changes

Examples
2023-10-01T09:15:00Z2023-10-01T14:30:45Z2023-10-03T08:00:00Z
Cost Center
CostCenter
The cost center code for financial allocation.
Description

The Cost Center attribute defines where the payroll expense is allocated in the general ledger. While similar to Department, it often provides a more granular financial view.

This attribute is used in the Time Tracking Approval Performance dashboard to identify if specific cost centers have slower approval hierarchies. It also helps in validating that payroll expenses are flowing to the correct financial buckets during the Gross to Net calculation phase.

Why it matters

Supports financial analysis and identifies bottlenecks by budget unit.

Where to get

Employee Job or Allocation tables

Examples
CC-5001CC-9002Overhead-Corp
Cycle Time (Days)
CycleTimeDays
Total duration from initialization to payment execution.
Description

This duration attribute measures the end-to-end time of the process for each record. It underpins the Payroll Cycle Time Distribution dashboard.

Analyzing the variance in Cycle Time Days across different Pay Groups or Departments reveals inefficiencies and helps quantify the impact of manual corrections on the overall process speed.

Why it matters

Core metric for process efficiency.

Where to get

Calculated: Payment Timestamp - Initialization Timestamp

Examples
3.55.01.2
Department
DepartmentCode
The department code associated with the employee.
Description

This attribute links the payroll record to a specific organizational unit. It is essential for the Audit Exception and Correction Trends dashboard, allowing the organization to see which departments consistently generate errors or require manual intervention.

By segmenting data by Department, analysts can identify if specific managers need training on time sheet approval processes or if certain business units have complex pay rules causing calculation delays.

Why it matters

Critical for organizational segmentation and root cause analysis.

Where to get

Employee Master or Job History tables

Examples
DEPT-100FINANCE-01OPS-WEST
Gross Pay Amount
GrossPayAmount
The total pay calculated before deductions and taxes.
Description

This attribute represents the monetary value of the gross pay calculated for the record. It is mapped to ActivityAmount to enable cost-based process analysis.

Analyzing the Gross Pay Amount helps in the Gross To Net Calculation Velocity dashboard. While the dashboard primarily measures time, correlating time against the complexity (and value) of the payment can reveal if high-value or complex commission calculations are the source of performance issues.

Why it matters

Enables value-stream analysis and outlier detection.

Where to get

Payroll Result or Pay Register tables

Examples
2500.0010500.50480.00
Has Audit Exception
HasAuditException
Flag indicating if an audit exception was triggered.
Description

This boolean attribute flags whether the Audit Exception Flagged activity ever occurred for this case. It supports the First Pass Payroll Accuracy Rate KPI.

It allows analysts to quickly separate 'clean' cases from those that required intervention, simplifying the analysis of rework causes in the Audit Exception and Correction Trends dashboard.

Why it matters

Identifies cases requiring intervention.

Where to get

Derived from existence of 'Audit Exception Flagged' activity

Examples
truefalse
Is Off Cycle
IsOffCycle
Flag indicating if the payroll run is outside the standard schedule.
Description

This boolean attribute identifies whether the payroll record belongs to an off-cycle run. It is used to calculate the Off Cycle Payroll Volume KPI.

Off-cycle runs are typically costlier and more manual. Filtering the Process Variant Path Analysis dashboard by this flag highlights the non-standard paths taken to correct errors or issue ad-hoc payments.

Why it matters

Key filter for analyzing process deviations and rework.

Where to get

Payroll Header 'Check Date' vs 'Period End Date' logic

Examples
truefalse
Is SLA Breached
IsSlaBreached
Flag indicating if the payment was executed after the deadline.
Description

This boolean attribute is a calculated metric that compares the 'Payment Executed' timestamp with the 'SLA Deadline'. It is the direct driver for the Payroll SLA Adherence Rate KPI.

Having this pre-calculated allows for instant filtering of the dashboard to show only problem cases, facilitating root cause analysis on why deadlines were missed.

Why it matters

KPI driver for compliance monitoring.

Where to get

Calculated: PaymentTime > SlaDeadline

Examples
truefalse
Pay Group
PayGroup
The logical grouping of employees for payroll processing.
Description

Pay Group is a fundamental configuration in UKG Pro that dictates the frequency (weekly, bi-weekly) and processing rules for a set of employees. It acts as the primary batch identifier.

This attribute is critical for the Payroll Cycle Time Distribution dashboard. It allows for the comparison of processing performance between different groups, such as Executive Payroll versus Hourly Plant Workers, identifying if specific configurations are causing systemic lags.

Why it matters

Primary dimension for grouping and comparing payroll performance.

Where to get

Payroll Header or Pay Group Configuration table

Examples
US-BiWeeklyCA-WeeklyExec-Monthly
Pay Period End Date
PayPeriodEndDate
The last day of the pay period being processed.
Description

This attribute marks the closing date of the pay cycle. It serves as a critical reference point for determining if submissions are late.

It is used alongside the StartTime of the 'Time Sheet Submitted' activity to determine lag times and is a key grouper for the Payroll Cycle Time Distribution dashboard.

Why it matters

Temporal anchor for the payroll cycle.

Where to get

Payroll Header or Time Period Configuration

Examples
2023-09-302023-10-15
Payroll Specialist
PayrollSpecialist
The user ID or name of the person processing the record.
Description

This attribute identifies the specific payroll administrator or specialist responsible for approving the record, performing data corrections, or executing the payment run. It is mapped to the Generic User attribute.

This data is vital for the Specialist Workload and Throughput dashboard. It allows management to visualize how work is distributed across the team and identify if specific individuals are overburdened or acting as bottlenecks during the approval phase.

Why it matters

Enables resource analysis and workload balancing insights.

Where to get

Audit logs or 'ModifiedBy' columns in transaction tables

Examples
jsmithmdoesystem_admin
SLA Deadline
SlaProcessingDeadline
The target date/time for payment execution completion.
Description

This attribute defines the internal or external deadline for when the payroll process must be completed to ensure timely bank transfers. It is the core attribute for the SLA Compliance and Deadline Monitor dashboard.

Comparing the actual Payment Executed timestamp against this deadline allows for the calculation of on-time performance rates and helps prioritize at-risk records.

Why it matters

Reference point for calculating SLA adherence.

Where to get

Pay Calendar or derived from Pay Date minus bank processing days

Examples
2023-10-13T16:00:00Z2023-10-28T16:00:00Z
Tax Jurisdiction
TaxJurisdiction
The primary state or locality for tax filing.
Description

This attribute identifies the main tax jurisdiction associated with the payroll record. It is essential for the Multi State Tax Filing Timelines dashboard.

By analyzing process flows based on Tax Jurisdiction, compliance teams can spot if specific states have consistently slower filing completion times or if multi-state employees trigger more audit exceptions than single-state employees.

Why it matters

Critical for compliance monitoring and geographic analysis.

Where to get

Tax Location or Employee Tax tables

Examples
CANYTX
Correction Category
CorrectionCategory
The type of data correction performed (e.g., Time, Rate, Deduction).
Description

When a Data Correction Performed activity occurs, this attribute captures the nature of the fix. It is vital for the Manual Data Correction Rate KPI.

Understanding if corrections are mostly related to 'Time Entry' versus 'Benefit Deduction' allows the business to target specific upstream systems or teams for process improvement.

Why it matters

Provides granularity on rework reasons.

Where to get

Audit Log 'Field Changed' column

Examples
Time Entry AdjustmentRetroactive PayTax Code Update
Employee Type
EmployeeType
Categorization of employee (e.g., Full-time, Part-time, Contractor).
Description

This attribute categorizes the individual associated with the payroll record. It is used in the Time Tracking Approval Performance dashboard.

Different employee types often have different time sheet submission behaviors and approval workflows. Segmenting by this attribute helps distinguish between systemic process issues and behavioral patterns specific to certain workforce segments.

Why it matters

Segments analysis by workforce category.

Where to get

Employee Master table

Examples
Full TimePart TimeContractor
Incentive Source
IncentiveSource
Origin of incentive data (e.g., SalesForce, Excel Import).
Description

This attribute identifies the source of any incentive or commission data imported into the payroll record. It supports the Incentive Data Import Accuracy dashboard.

By correlating this attribute with the Incentive Data Rework Frequency KPI, the team can determine if specific upstream files (e.g., the Northeast Region Sales Report) are consistently prone to formatting errors or data quality issues.

Why it matters

Traces quality issues back to external data providers.

Where to get

Import Log filename or Batch ID description

Examples
Sales Commission FeedManual Bonus UploadExecutive Comp System
Required Recommended Optional

Payroll Processing Activities

These are the key process steps and milestones to capture in your event log to ensure accurate process discovery and bottleneck identification.
4 Recommended 11 Optional
Activity Description
Payment Executed
The effective date or actual transfer of funds to the employee. This marks the fulfillment of the compensation obligation.
Why it matters

Used to validate 'SLA Compliance' and ensure employees are paid on the committed date.

Where to get

Use the 'Check Date' or 'Advice Date' field on the finalized Pay Header record.

Capture

Logged when transaction payment_post executed

Event type explicit
Payroll Record Approved
The final sign-off on the individual record or the entire pay group. This action locks the record from further changes and queues it for payment generation.
Why it matters

A critical milestone separating the working phase from the finalized phase. Used to calculate 'Bank Transfer File Lead Time'.

Where to get

Capture the status change of the Pay Group or individual Check record to 'Approved' or 'Locked' in the Pay Period Control table.

Capture

Logged when transaction approve_pay_group executed

Event type explicit
Payroll Record Initialized
The creation of the specific pay line item for an employee within a new pay group instance. This signals that the employee is active and attached to the current processing cycle.
Why it matters

Marks the official start of the payroll processing phase within the core system. Essential for distinguishing between time capture duration and actual payroll processing duration.

Where to get

Identify the timestamp when the record is inserted into the Employee Pay or Check Header table for the specific Pay Date.

Capture

Logged when transaction pay_period_create executed

Event type explicit
Tax Filing Completed
The successful submission of tax data to the relevant jurisdictions (federal, state, local). This often happens post-payment.
Why it matters

Essential for the 'Multi State Tax Filing Timelines' dashboard to ensure regulatory compliance and avoid penalties.

Where to get

Capture the status update in the Tax Filing Interface or Payment Services log indicating 'Filed' or 'Accepted'.

Capture

Logged when transaction tax_file_transmit executed

Event type explicit
Audit Exception Flagged
The system or a user identifies a discrepancy, such as negative pay, missing tax codes, or SLA warnings. This puts the record into a state requiring attention.
Why it matters

Directly feeds the 'Audit Exception and Correction Trends' dashboard. High volumes here indicate upstream data quality problems.

Where to get

Identify records in the System Warning Log or Pay Period messages table associated with specific employee IDs.

Capture

Logged when transaction validation_warning created

Event type explicit
Bank Transfer File Generated
The technical generation of the NACHA or direct deposit file for transmission to the bank. This prepares the funds for movement.
Why it matters

Delays here directly risk missing banking cutoffs. Supports the 'Bank Transfer Generation Speed' dashboard.

Where to get

Capture the timestamp when the ACH/Direct Deposit file creation job completes in the System Job Log.

Capture

Logged when transaction create_ach_file executed

Event type explicit
Benefits Deductions Applied
The system applies pre-tax and post-tax benefit deductions (health, 401k) to the gross pay. This logic typically runs immediately following gross pay determination.
Why it matters

Errors here often require manual corrections. Isolating this step helps determine if delays are caused by the benefits engine or configuration issues.

Where to get

Inferred from the timestamp of the calculation batch or by observing creation timestamps in the Employee Deduction History table.

Capture

Derive from comparing field calculation_stage

Event type inferred
Data Correction Performed
A manual modification made to the payroll record (e.g., adjusting hours, overriding tax) after the initial calculation but before final approval.
Why it matters

This is the primary measure of rework. Tracking this enables the 'Manual Data Correction Rate' KPI.

Where to get

Capture updates to the Employee Pay Detail or Deduction tables in the Audit Log where the User ID is not 'System'.

Capture

Logged when transaction update_pay_detail executed

Event type explicit
Gross Pay Calculated
The initial calculation run where the system determines total earnings based on hours, rates, and incentive data. This occurs before deductions and taxes are applied.
Why it matters

Measuring the time from here to 'Taxes Calculated' provides the 'Gross to Net Calculation Velocity' metric required for system performance analysis.

Where to get

Inferred from the 'Start Time' of the calculation batch process in the System Job Log.

Capture

Compare status field before/after calculation job start

Event type inferred
Incentive Data Imported
The ingestion of external compensation data such as commissions, bonuses, or one-time payments. This is distinct from regular hours and often involves batch file uploads.
Why it matters

High failure rates or rework following this activity indicate issues with data mapping or external file quality, a common source of payroll delays.

Where to get

Capture from the System Log or Batch Import History where the file type relates to 'Incentives' or 'Additional Pay'.

Capture

Logged when transaction import_batch_data executed

Event type explicit
Pay Slip Published
The pay statement becomes visible to the employee in the self-service portal. This completes the communication loop.
Why it matters

While not a blocking technical step, late publication drives helpdesk calls and impacts employee satisfaction.

Where to get

Inferred from the 'Check Date' or a specific 'Self Service Release Date' setting in the Pay Group configuration.

Capture

Derive from comparing field check_date to release_policy

Event type inferred
Payroll Result Previewed
A user opens the payroll register or preview report to validate the calculated results. This represents the transition from automated processing to human review.
Why it matters

Indicates the start of the validation phase. A long gap between Calculation and Preview suggests resource availability issues.

Where to get

Capture from the Audit Log where a user accesses the 'Payroll Register' or 'Pre-Check' report.

Capture

Logged when transaction report_view_preview executed

Event type explicit
Taxes Calculated
The final stage of the calculation engine where multi-state tax logic is applied to determine net pay. This completes the automated computation phase.
Why it matters

Completes the 'Gross to Net' sequence. Long durations here suggest performance issues with the tax engine or complex multi-jurisdiction configurations.

Where to get

Inferred from the 'End Time' of the calculation batch process in the System Job Log or the timestamp on the Employee Tax table.

Capture

Compare status field before/after calculation job end

Event type inferred
Time Sheet Approved
The managerial approval of the submitted hours, validating them for payment processing. This step unlocks the data for import into the payroll calculation engine.
Why it matters

Bottleneck analysis of this step reveals delays caused by management review, which directly impacts the available window for payroll specialists to process data.

Where to get

Capture from Time Management history where Status changes to 'Approved' or 'Signed Off'.

Capture

Logged when transaction time_card_approve executed

Event type explicit
Time Sheet Submitted
The event where an employee or manager submits the time card for the pay period. This marks the entry of raw hours data into the broader payroll workflow, though it may originate in the Time Management module before flowing to core Payroll.
Why it matters

Establishes the earliest start timestamp for the end-to-end payroll cycle. Critical for measuring the latency between work performance and payroll data ingestion.

Where to get

Capture from the Time Management Audit Log or Time Card History table where the Status field changes to 'Submitted'.

Capture

Logged when transaction time_card_submit executed

Event type explicit
Recommended Optional

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