Author: Tally Academy

How to Process Payroll | Payroll Process in Easy Steps

Posted on by Tally Academy

The payroll process is an essential activity in an organization with employees. Depending on the structure of the salaries and the prevailing laws and regulations, the calculation of payroll can be either simple or more complex. It is vital to process payroll in a timely and accurate manner. Any discrepancies in the calculations have a direct impact on employee morale and productivity.

The payroll process also involves compliance with the regional laws and regulations. If there are mistakes that are not in compliance with the rules, it could put the organization into legal and financial trouble. An accurate and effective payroll process is essential in any organization whether big or small. Using business management software with capabilities to manage payroll makes the entire process simpler and error-free.

The payroll is the amount of money that the employer pays out to employees for their services. Every organization has a list of add ons and deductions from the basic pay of the employee. These involve allowances, bonuses, taxes etc.What is payroll process?

To have a payroll process, every organization must:

  • Define a pay policy with basic pay, benefits, leave policies, encashment of leave and other related items
  • Define the components that appear on the payslip as per the company’s policy and in compliance with regulations
  • Obtain and record the employee details accurately. This includes the bank account details, tax details etc.
  • Validate the employee inputs
  • Calculate the statutory as well as non-statutory deductions and deduct them to arrive at the gross pay amount
  • Pay the salary amount to the employees through the mode that the company employs. Most often this is done by intimating the bank of the salary amount to be disbursed to each employee account
  • Record the payroll transactions in the accounting system
  • Pay the dues to the appropriate authorities and file returns accurately and before the due dates
  • Physically or digitally (PDF) distribute payslips and other relevant tax documents to the employees.

How to process payroll in easy steps?

The payroll process steps are categorized into the following

  • Pre-payroll process,
  • Payroll calculation process
  • Post-payroll process

Let’s discuss each of these in detail.

Pre-Payroll Process

Defining the payroll policy

Different organizations have their own unique payroll policies. These should be very clearly and unambiguously defined. The first step is to define the basic pay for the different designations in the organization. Leaves and benefits are monetized differently in each organization. There may be deductions for leave taken beyond the given quota. Unused leave may be convertible to money. Some organizations pay for overtime while others do not. Certain companies have the practice of an annual bonus payout. If the bonus is performance-based, the policy should be well defined. The accurate computation of this amount is essential. The payroll policy should be approved by the management of the organization.

Data gathering

The details of an employee are usually collected and recorded at the time of onboarding a new employee. This may include their PAN number, other ID numbers and details.

Attendance and performance data

Payroll also requires the attendance data of the employee. If any bonuses or benefits are due, the relevant department would have to provide the data to payroll. If the employee has earned a performance bonus or a raise, it should be recorded by payroll. In a smaller organization, this data would be easy to gather and compute. In a larger organization, this flow of data to payroll is more challenging. Business management software with an integrated payroll system makes the data flow easier and more accurate.

 Validation

All the data received would have to be validated for accuracy and compliance with the organization’s policies as well as the law. Payroll would have to ensure that no employee who has left employment continues to feature as an active employee for payroll calculation. All the current employees should be included for salary calculation without missing anyone.

Payroll calculation process

This is the payroll process that takes place based on the data input.Payroll is calculated manually or through the use of software to calculate the net pay after factoring in gross income and gross deductions.

Gross income/salary = regular income + allowances if any + one time payment or bonus if any

Gross deduction = regular deductions + statutory deductions + one-time deductions if any

Net pay = Gross income – gross deduction

If the payroll is calculated manually, these values are checked for accuracy and errors if any are corrected.

Post-payroll process

Payroll accounting

The amount of salary disbursed as well as the different components of additions and deductions have to be accounted for. The relevant transactions have to be recorded and entered as per the accounting practices of the organization. If the company uses a standalone payroll software or HR software the data would have to be reentered into the accounting software.

Salary payout

The actual payment of salary to the employees is most often through bank accounts. The organization’s bank account should be sufficiently funded before initiating the salary disbursal payroll process. A salary bank advice statement is generated based on the net pay for each employee along with their account number.

Autogenerated Payroll Voucher in TallyPrime

Reporting

Payslips and tax details are generated and given to the employees physically or digitally. Payroll reports that are required by the management have to be generated and submitted.

Compliance

The statutory deductions that are made from the employees’ salaries have to be paid to the relevant government agencies. The amounts have to be paid and the returns filed well within the due dates.

Process payroll accurately and on time every time

When there are gaps in the payroll data flow, the chance of computational or data entry errors is higher. It is essential that payroll should be error-free and in compliance with the laws and regulations. TallyPrime makes the payroll process quick and easy.

auto-generated-payroll-processing

The benefits of payroll accounting with TallyPrime are:

  • Integration with financial accounting. Tally seamlessly integrates the payroll amounts to the accounting process. There is no necessity for reentering all the payroll data into the accounting software
  • Generates payslips for employees
  • Enables payroll processing with compliance
  • Also tracks the loan details of employees
  • Allows flexibility in user-defined classifications, departments, groups, subgroups and other criteria. It also allows the user to define all the components of payroll such as attendance/time/production units, earning and deduction pay heads.

Accrual Basis of Accounting and Accrued Expenses

Posted on by Tally Academy

One of the fundamental accounting assumptions associated with the preparation and presentation of financial statements is the accrual basis of accounting. The following are three accounting foundations that are used by the business.

  • Accrual Basis of Accounting
  • Cash Basis of Accounting
  • Hybrid Accounting

What is Accrual Basis of Accounting

The word “Accrual” can be explained as revenue and cost are accrued i.e., they are recognized as earned or incurred (irrespective of whether money is received or paid) and entered in the books of accounts for the period to which they relate.

The procedure of recording transactions by which revenue, cost, assets and liabilities are reflected in the accounts for the period to which they accrue. This includes considerations relating to deferrals, allocations, depreciation and amortization. This basis of accounting is also referred to as ‘Mercantile Basis of Accounting’.

How Does Accrual Basis of Accounting Works?

Accrual basis of accounting tries to record the financial effects of the transactions, events, and circumstances of an enterprise in the period in which they occur rather than recording them in the time period in which cash is received or paid by the enterprise.

The accrual basis of accounting recognizes that buying, producing, selling and other economic events that affect the enterprise’s performance often do not coincide with the cash receipts and payments for the given period. The motive behind following the accrual basis of accounting is to relate the accomplishments (measured in the form of revenue ) and the efforts (measured in terms of cost ) so that reported income ( net of expenses ) measures an enterprise’s performance during a period instead of merely listing its cash receipts and payments.

It also recognizes the assets, liabilities, revenue and accrued expenses for the amounts received or paid in cash in the past, and amounts expected to be paid or received in cash in the future.

Features of Accrual Basis of Accounting

The essential features of the accrual basis of accounting are:

  • Revenue is recognized as it is earned.
  • Expenses or costs are matched either against revenues so recognized or against the relevant time period to determine periodic income.
  • Expenses that are not loaded to the income statement or profit and loss statement are carried forward and are kept under continuous review. So any cost thereafter which appears to have lost its utility or its power to generate future revenue is written-off as a loss.

What is Accrued Expenses

Accrued expenses refer to an expense related to the business operation which is recognized in the books of the accounts before it is paid, and these expenses are recorded in the books for the period they are actually incurred.

Accrued Expenses Recognition Rules

Under accounting by the accrual basis, the costs are matched either against revenues or against the relevant time period in order to determine the net income. All those costs which are not charged against the income of the period are carried forward. If any accrued expense has lost its utility or its power to generate revenue in the future, it is written off as an expense or a loss.

Under the accrual basis of accounting, the expenses are recognized by following the approaches explained below:

Identification with Revenue Transactions

Costs which are directly linked with the revenue recognized during the relevant period (in respect of which the money has been paid or not) are considered as expenses and are charged to income for the period.

Identification with a Time Period

Unlike some costs which have a direct connection with the revenue for the period, in most cases, the relationship is so indirect that it is impractical to attempt to establish its revenue relationship. These costs are regarded as ‘period costs’ and are considered as an expense in the relevant accounting period. salaries, telephone, travelling charges, depreciation on office building etc. are some of the examples which are identified using this approach.

Following are the treatment of accrued expenses by applying the above approach.

  • The benefit of costs which do not clearly extend beyond the accounting period is charged as expenses.
  • The benefit of expenses which could be traced to a future period is accounted as prepaid expenses even though they are paid in the current accounting period.
  • Expenses of the current year, for which payment has not yet been made (outstanding expenses) are recognized and charged to the profit and loss account for the current accounting period.
  • Contingent losses should be provided by a charge in the profit and loss statement only if it is confirmed that an asset has been declared not of use, impaired etc. and a rationale estimate of the resulting loss can be made.

Examples of Accrual Basis of Accounting and Accrued Expenses

Example -1

Examples Explanation
Mr Rehman, an accounting professional from Bangladesh provided accounting services of 10,000 Tk. to Marsh Hardware on 10th December with a credit period of 15 Days. Marsh Hardware paid 10,000 Tk in January. Using the accrual basis of accounting, Mr Rehman will report the 10,000 Tk as revenue in the income statement and this will also be reported as accounts receivable in the balance sheet as on 31 December.
The rule used for the above example is related to revenue recognition: Here, revenue is recognized as when it is earned provided:

·       Revenue is measurable or the consideration receivable from the sale of goods, the rendering of services or use of resources of the enterprise is reasonably determinable.

·       Revenue in respect of which there is no uncertainty of collection is immediately recognized.

Example -2

Max Enterprises located in Indonesia paid office rent of Rp 1,500 on 31st December. They also incurred Rp 300 for electricity, gas, and sewer/water during December.

Max Enterprises was billed for utilities used on 10th January with a due date to pay the bill by 1st February.

 Using the accrual basis of accounting, Max Enterprises will report the rent expense in December. This is because the rent benefit was consumed, incurred and paid in December,

Max Enterprises will also report estimated utility expenses of Rp 300 so that the income statement provides a better measure of December’s profitability.

In Balance sheet as on 31st December, a liability of Rp 300 towards utilities payable will be reported. This will show the accurate obligation of the company as on 31st December,

Example -3

Max Ltd has prepaid wages of Rs. 100,000. As per the accrual basis of accounting, this will be recorded as an expense in the income statement. In the balance sheet, this will be shown as pre-paid expenses under the current assets.

Rules used for example 2 and 3 are of matching costs with revenue and relevancy of time period. Here, costs are matched either against revenues so recognized or against the relevant time period to determine periodic income. This is explained in detail in the accrued expenses recognition rules section.

Differences Between Accrual Basis of Accounting and Cash Accounting

The difference between accrual accounting and cash-based accounting is in the timing of recognition of revenues, expenses, gains and losses.

Receipts of cash in a period may largely reflect the effects of enterprise activity in the earlier periods, while many of the cash outlays may relate to activities and efforts expected in future periods. Thus, an account showing cash receipts and cash outlay of an enterprise cannot indicate cash received vs the investment and also to what extent an enterprise is successful. On the other hand, the accrual basis of accounting gives you the complete and accurate view of expenses, income, liabilities etc. and help you measure the business in terms of profitability and financial position.

What is Cost Estimation: Definition and Example

Posted on by Tally Academy

Definition

Cost Estimation is a statement that gives the value of the cost incurred in the manufacturing of finished goods. Cost estimation helps in fixing the selling price of the final product after charging appropriate overheads and allowing a certain margin for profits. It also helps in Inventory Reports drawing conclusions regarding the cost of production and in determining the necessity to introduce cost reduction techniques in order to improve the manufacturing process.

Cost estimation takes into consideration all expenditure involved in the design and manufacturing along with all related service facilities such as machines setting; tool making as well as a portion of sales marketing and administrative expenses or what we call overhead costs.

Example and Methods

Isn’t it absolutely annoying to pay expenses each month, without knowing the amount that you’re going to write the cheque for? Being able to estimate business costs accurately can help you plan for the future and see trouble on the horizon. There are many ways to estimate costs, and each one is a different blend of difficulty and accuracy. Knowing some of these basic methods may help you choose the right one for your firm.

Least Squares Regression

A perfect amalgamation of accuracy and ease of use, least squares regression, analyses past data using mathematical estimation, to determine the variable and fixed components of a cost and provides an equation that can be used to predict future expenses. While this sounds complicated, the mathematics are built into most commercial spreadsheet programs, so adoption is as simple as entering your bill history and clicking a few buttons.

High-Low Method

This is a quick and an easy way to estimate costs that still hold accuracy. This method takes into consideration the highest and lowest levels of activity to calculate the fixed and variable components of the cist, but also ignore all the data that isn’t on the extremes. If the highest and lowest levels of expense are representative of the costs you are estimating, then you’re in good shape. If not, this method can overestimate or underestimate costs.

Scattergraph

Another quick and easy method to estimate costs is the Scattergraph method. While it might be the quickest and the easiest method to get your expenses estimates, the values derived post calculations might not be that accurate. To use the scattergraph method, you simply plot the cost vs. the level of activity on a graph and draw what you think is the best-fit line through the points. Once you’ve determined the best-fit line, the slope of the line is the variable cost per unit, and the fixed cost is the point where the line crosses the y-axis. The problem with the scattergraph method is that each person has a different idea of how to draw the best-fit line, giving each person a somewhat different estimate of the cost.

Statistical Modelling

For the largest of small businesses, statistical modelling can be a very accurate method of cost estimation. Industry-specific models are able to predict such complex variables in cost computations as hotel vacancy, food costs, and stock-based compensation expense. While these methods can be very accurate, the cost of implementation can be high, which puts them out of reach for many small firms.

While all these methods might cater to different models, with TallyPrime you need not worry about which method to use to calculate your cost estimates. Our cutting-edge technology and simple reports give you a consolidated estimation of each inventory at one go.

To view the cost estimation of a particular finished product, select the relevant Stock Group which will display the stock consumption details and cost thereof for each of the stock items falling under that Group. Cost estimation, however, is easier said than done. An accurate estimation method can be the difference between a successful plan and a failed one.

Revenue Expenditure: Definition, Types & Example

Posted on by Tally Academy

What is revenue expenditure?

Revenue expenditures are short-term expenses that are also known as revenue expenses and operational expenses (OPEX). Revenue expenditure is generally spoken to in relation to fixed assets as it records the expenses which have occurred in connection to a fixed asset. For example, if you have a piece of equipment that requires monthly maintenance then the expense will be termed under revenue expenditure. It involves all costs that are required for the successful running of a business such as salaries for employees and property taxes.  Revenue expenditure is recorded during an accounting period or a single year.

Revenue expenditure types

Revenue expenditure can be divided into two categories; direct expenses and indirect expenses.

Direct expenses

Direct expenses are those costs that are incurred when goods and services are in the process of being produced. The costs that are incurred during the day-to-day operations that take place in the business are also direct expenses. For manufacturing companies, examples of direct expenses include the costs that are incurred for the conversion of raw materials to finished products or goods. Direct expenses also include costs such as electricity used during the production, wages paid to workers, legal expenses, rent, shipping-related costs, and freight charges.

Indirect expenses

Indirect expenses are the second type of revenue expenditure. These types of expenses are usually incurred when the finished goods and services are being sold and distributed. These expenses include taxes, salaries for employees, depreciation, and interest among others. Indirect expenses also include repairs and maintenance costs. Although these costs aren’t directly linked to the finished products, they are required to ensure the proper functioning of the asset which in turn supports the proper functioning of the business.

Example of revenue expenditure

A company called A&J spends 100000 BDT on a machine used for the production of goods. To ensure the proper functioning of the machine, a monthly fee of 1000 BDT is spent. In this example, the revenue expenditure is 1000 BDT which has been spent on the upkeep of the machine on a monthly basis. When the income statement will be prepared, the 1000 BDT will have an entry for that particular month where the upkeep expenditure was made. In case the machine has an issue and needs to be repaired, the cost of repair will also fall under revenue expenditure and will be reflected on the month during which the expenditure was done.

Revenue expenditure Vs. capital expenditure

Revenue expenditure and capital expenditure are often confused for one another which makes understanding their differences even more vital.

Revenue expenditure Capital expenditure
Functionality
Revenue expenditure is the expense that is used to run your business on a daily basis. It includes the costs used to ensure the proper functioning of a fixed asset repair costs, maintenance costs, and costs that are incurred for current operations. It differs from the cost used to acquire or buy an asset. Examples of revenue expenditure include rent, utilities, and office supplies. Capital expenditure, also known as a capital expense or Capex, is the expense that is used to acquire a capital asset. This asset is a long-term asset that is used to improve how the business functions by boosting efficiency. Examples of capital expenditures include vehicles, computer equipment, land, fixtures, software, office buildings, and so on.
Consumption
Revenue expenditure is consumed within a short span of time. For example, the regular upkeep of equipment is done monthly or every quarter depending on the type of equipment used for the production of goods.  Revenue expenditure is a recurring expense that your business needs to spend every month or every few months. It is not a one-time investment. Capital expenditure is consumed over a long period of time until the asset is useful or until the asset has reached its end of life. For example, machinery is used for many years until it is able to function correctly. It is not a recurring expense as your business needs to pay for the cost of the machinery only once.
Reporting
Revenue expenditure is reported in the income statement of your business whenever the expense was incurred. It is not stated in the balance sheet. When it comes to charging revenue expenditures, they are charged immediately in the current period during which you paid for it or after a short period of time. Capital expenditure is reported in the cash flow statement of your business and in the balance sheet. When being reported in the balance sheet, it is stated under fixed assets. Capital expenditure isn’t immediately charged as an expense. Instead, it is charged over a long period of time until you will use it using depreciation. This is a gradual process.
Purpose
The purpose of revenue expenditure is to ensure the assets such as machinery are functioning optimally at all times and so this expenditure comes into the picture after the business has started operating. These expenditures are used to sustain your business. Although these expenditures do not add more capability to the asset, they are used to ensure the asset works as it should. The purpose of capital expenditure is to generate more revenue over time. It involves expanding the business and investing in machinery that is going to give ROI and long-term gain. For example, an expensive machine in a manufacturing plant can be acquired to improve current processes so that it can contribute to revenue generation. These expenditures come into the picture before your business starts to operate.
Cost
When it comes to revenue expenditure, the cost associated with them is comparatively lower than that of capital expenditures. Revenue expenditure isn’t the expense related to investment so it is generally smaller. In certain cases, the expense related to revenue expenditures can be large as long as the cost is a period cost or it is an expense related to the revenue. Your business will pay much more for anything that falls under capital expenditure. Firms usually have a threshold value that marks the distinction between revenue expenditure and capital expenditure. If the expenditure is more than the threshold value then it is considered a capital expenditure, else it might be a  revenue expenditure.

Both revenue expenditure and capital expenditure are equally important

It is wrong to say that either is better than the other because both are required for your business to operate without issues and generate profits. Capital expenditure is critical because it can improve business efficiency. Revenue expenditure is vital as it ensures smooth business operations so there is nothing stopping your business from operating fully. Your business must manage and monitor both these expenditures to ensure you are not over-spending on each. If you do so regularly, you can effectively use strategies for regulating these expenses.

TallyPrime is an ERP accounting software that provides a powerful combination of ERP and accounting software. It can be of help when it comes to both revenue expenditure and capital expenditure. TallyPrime ensures you stay within your budget, know your spending history, and spend wisely. With the help of its robust reports, you get instant insights that can drive your business decisions in the right direction

cost centre in TallyPrime

Using TallyPrime’s cost centre management will help you stay on top of all the spending’s even on little expenses and make confident decision. What’s more? You can set budget and track the variance.

budget in TallyPrime

Generate e-Way bill Instantly Using TallyPrime

Posted on by Tally Academy

Electronic waybill, popularly known as an e-Way bill is a document that needs to be generated for consignment involving the movement of goods beyond the notified value. Most states have a threshold value of 50,000 and a higher threshold value in a few states.

e-Way bill is not a new concept. It has been in place for a few years now and in fact, even before GST with different names. We all know it is a process that requires the supplier/transporter to generate an e-way bill from the portal before transporting or shipping the goods. Once the e-way bill is generated, a unique number is generated for a specific consignment along with an e-way bill document and the supplier can choose to capture it on the invoice.

Today, most businesses generate e-way bills by mentioning the invoice details on the portal either using offline tools (JSON) or direct entry on the portal. While it is a mandatory need, but the effort and time that goes into generating the e-way bills, make the entire process of invoicing to shipping a cumbersome one. Guess, this is a common difficulty that you must have already felt irrespective of how big or small is your business.

To alleviate the difficulty in the current way of generating the e-way bill and to make the entire process simple and seamless, the latest release of TallyPrime comes with an inbuilt connected e-way bill solution that generates e-way bill instantly.

Yes, you read it right! You just need to record an invoice and the e-way bill be generated automatically.

Using TallyPrime’s online connected e-way bill solution, you can instantly generate e-way bills. All you need to do is just record an invoice in your usual way, and TallyPrime will automatically generate an e-way bill and capture the e-way bill number on the invoice.

instant-e-way-bill-in-tallyprime

Tally being one of the recognised ISO certified GSP (GST Suvidha Provider), TallyPrime directly integrates with the e-way portal to seamlessly generate e-way bills for you. It is so simple that you will certainly feel that generating an e-way bill is just the same as invoicing.

Online connected e-way bill features in TallyPrime

Tally’s fully connected e-way bill solution is simple, seamless with zero manual work. Take a look at some of the key features of a connected e-way bill solution.

Generate e-way bill instantly.

Given the compliance need of e-way bills in the process of invoicing and shipment, you no longer need to look at invoicing and e-way bill generation separately. Using TallyPrime, you seamlessly generate an e-way bill online by just recording the invoice. TallyPrime’s full connected solution absorbs the complexity by directly sending the details in prescribed format to the portal and fetches e-way bill details automatically.

e-way bill generated in TallyPrime

Cancel, Extend and update e-way bill online

In some situations, the invoices for which e-way bill is already generated requires to be cancelled. It could be for various reasons such as data entry mistake/order cancelled etc. Also, in an exceptional circumstance like natural calamity, trans-shipment delay, accident, break-down etc. you may want to extend the validity of the e-way bill. No matter what situations you encounter, using TallyPrime, you can cancel, extend ad update e-way bills online without the need to manually perform these actions from the portal.

cancel and extend e-way bill in TallyPrime

Also, for some reason, if you have generated an e-way bill either manually or using any of the available modes (outside TallyPrime), you can auto-fetch such details and capture the e-way bill number on the invoice. Thus, keeping your books up to date.

Flexibility to generate EWB online along with e-Invoice or separately.

By design, the e-invoice system (IRP) integrates with GSTN and e-way bill system. As a result, one can generate an e-invoice along with e-way bill as well. Using TallyPrime’s connected e-way bill solution, you get even more flexibility to do so. You can choose to generate an e-way bill along with an e-invoice or can separately generate only e-way bill as it suits your need.

e-invoice and e-way bill in tallyPrime

Flexibility to generate e-way bill for a single invoice or in bulk from a report

TallyPrime’s connected e-way bill solution comes with the flexibility to generate e-way bill for a single invoice or in bulk. You can generate an e-way bill for a single invoice in the flow of recording the transaction or you can choose to generate e-way bills in bulk (for more than one invoice) from the report. Generating e-way bills, be it a single invoice or bulk is amazingly simpler and faster.

bulk e-way bill in TallyPrime

Enhanced e-way bill reports

TallyPrime’s connected e-way bill solution comes with exclusive reports for e-way bill giving you a complete view of the e-way bill transactions and their status. With the help of the report, you will stay on top of the e-way bill status (Pending/cancelled/generated) and perform various other actions such as cancel, extend, etc. as per your needs.

Supports other modes for e-way bill generation.

In case of exigency cases like unavailability of internet services on a system or due to any other reason, if you wish to use other modes of e-way bill generation such as using offline utility, a direct entry on the portal etc. TallyPrime fully supports these situations.  Not only it supports these circumstances, but also auto-fetches details and updates the e-way bill number on the invoice. Thus, keeping your books up to date.

Offline-mode-e-way-bill

What’s more? The online connected e-way bill solution of TallyPrime comes with an inbuilt alert system to prevent redundancy and ensure that the latest data is shared with the portal, especially in a multi-user environment. Furthermore, the renowned and trusted ‘Prevention, Detection and correction’ capability ensure that the transactions are validated and only the correct and complete details are sent for e-way generation. This way you can prevent errors and work error-free.

Accounting and Payroll Software

Posted on by Tally Academy

Introduction

Businesses today have plenty of obstacles to overcome and plenty of tools to help them do so. Technology in particular has greatly changed the way companies operate, and currently over ninety percent of all companies use technology of some form to help with basic functions. Payroll is the most commonly used feature in software.

Companies that don’t like the thought of outsourcing will have to find another solution, and TallyPrime’s payroll is an attractive option. There are many benefits of using TallyPrime payroll solutions or HR payroll software, including some which one may not even be aware of. If the business wants to keep the HR department responsible for payroll, considering TallyPrime payroll is a great way to help them handle the tasks.

Benefits from a payroll software for accountants

  • Simplicity in usage
  • Accounting and payroll software do not involve installation of any expensive infrastructure equipment for its functioning
  • Implementation of accounting and payroll software is as simple as logging into a secure web portal
  • No disruption of work at the office while systems are set up and no downtime with accounting and payroll software
  • It is simple in a way that its features can be accessed and learned by any professional with the most basic computer software and business skills
  • Ensures security and reliability of data
  • Accessibility – Data can be accessed from any machine (computer) at any time

What does a business need from an HR payroll software?

If a business is considering using an automated program and keeping most of the payroll functions within the office, then it should likely ensure that payroll customer service can help it deal with any issues related to the software, especially technical support.

Most HR payroll software will provide with regular reports, but good payroll customer service means being able to request any payroll related information and receive it quickly. Say, if a business needs the stats for employee salaries or attendance over the last six months, it should be able to get it through payroll customer service.

Payroll software for small business

Technically speaking, payroll software is defined as a computer program that manages a company’s payroll necessities. For small and medium businesses, we know it’s a formidable task to sit at the end of every month and pour in many hours to summing up the salary details for each employee. Often, in such companies, the owner has to perform multiple duties and it’s difficult to spare time for calculating overtimes and employees’ taxes.

And one such HR payroll software which tops the Payroll software list among other service providers for small business entities is TallyPrime. TallyPrime Accounting and payroll software is simple yet effective software that takes care of all the necessary calculations and takes care that the salaries are paid on time.

TallyPrime delivers comprehensive payroll management software with necessary payroll compliances built in it. It provides the facility from simple payslip generation up to complex allied processes which include Salary revision, loans and advances and ad-hoc payments. It also manages the salary of the employees according to statutory norms and processes.

Notable features of TallyPrime payroll software

  • Full integration with accounts for simplified payroll processing and accounting
  • User-defined classifications and sub-classifications for comprehensive reporting on aspects such as employees, employee groups, pay components, or departments
  • Support for user-defined Earnings and Deductions Pay Heads
  • Flexible and user-defined criteria for simple or complex calculations
  • Unlimited grouping of Payroll Masters
  • Support for user-defined production units such as attendance, production, or time-based remuneration units
  • Flexible processing period for payroll
  • Comprehensive reports for cost centre as well as employee-wise costing
  • Predefined processes for accurate and timely salary processing, employee statutory deductions & employer statutory contributions
  • Processing payments using the e-payments capability in TallyPrime
  • Auto-fill facility to expedite the attendance, payroll, and employer’s contribution processes
  • Accurate computation and deduction of statutory payments such as Income Tax, ESI, EPF, NPS, Professional Tax, and Gratuity
  • Generate statutory forms and challans for Income Tax and EPF & ESI, as prescribed
  • Facility to drill-down to the voucher level for any alteration
  • Compute arrears of previous period(s)
  • Track loan details of employees.

Frequently asked questions

What is payroll management?

Payroll is simply an aggregation of total amount of wages paid by the company to its employees. Companies usually hire payroll services from third parties by way of outsourcing which make the process of accounting for payroll and easy and effortless task. Management of employee payroll in a smart way is now as easy as it can get, with TallyPrime. A collection of predefined processes in TallyPrime enables error-free automation of payroll process. Further, you can view and handle exceptions effortlessly.

 

How to choose the best payroll management software?

To choose the best payroll management software, you must ensure that it has the following capabilities:

  • Payroll Accounting & Salary Processing
  • Multiple Employee Grouping
  • Flexible Attendance/Production Types
  • Statutory Compliance in payroll
  • Easy to define and process fixed and flexible pay-outs to the employees
  • Multiple Calendar type such as fixed days, as per calendar etc. to suit your requirements
  • Generate Monthly Returns, Annual Forms and Statements for PF, ESI, Professional Tax and Income Tax.

 

How does payroll management software work?

TallyPrime offers various features that allows you to implement and process payroll. You can use the Payroll Info. menu to create different payroll masters required for computing earnings and deductions for employees.

 

What is payroll in TallyPrime?

The payroll feature in TallyPrime is fully integrated with accounting to streamline payroll processing. Organisations can set up and process payroll using simple and complex criteria. A collection of predefined processes in TallyPrime enable error-free automation of payroll process.

 

How do I enter salary in Tally payroll software?

You can add, delete or change a pay head component or its value for individual employees. To quickly enter the pay structure of each employee, define the Pay Structure for the Employee Group for an employee group using pay heads which are applicable to most employees. You can then copy and apply the same structure to each employee.

Fundamentals of Accounting | Accounting Basics

Posted on by Tally Academy

What is accounting?

To understand the fundamentals of accounting, you must comprehend the definition of accounting.

Accounting is consolidating the financial transactions of a company using a systematic approach. It involves recording, analyzing, reporting, and retrieving financial transactions when required. Accounting is mandatory for legal reasons, taxes, and to understand business health. Accounting ensures that every business transaction is accounted for and if you need to pull out information about any expense you can do so with ease.  Accounting can be divided into two parts; financial accounting and management accounting.

Financial accounting deals with the proper presentation of the transactions in the form of financial statements such as income statements which are shared with people outside the business. Management accounting is a form of accounting whereby the management department receives financial information so they can take vital business decisions to ensure efficient business continuity. Management accounting is part of the internal process as it is used for improving the overall business. It includes information such as the budget.

Key objectives of accounting

The three key objectives of accounting are as follows.

  • Record keeping

The fundamentals of accounting include record keeping which is the primary function of accounting. A business must use standard forms of storing and retaining information so it can be retrieved when the need for it arises. Thorough and accurate storage of records is essential for all transaction-related purposes. A software package such as TallyPrime can be utilized to store every transaction that takes place.

  • Reporting

Financial reporting is a key accounting objective after record keeping. Accounting enables businesses to record and report their financial status at the end of a particular period. It involves putting together transaction details and reports that are necessary to make sense of a certain aspect of a business during a specific time period. Financial statements are results of aggregating financial information of a business and these are useful tools for reporting the financial parts of a business.

  • Analysis

The reports which are based on the business records are analyzed in accounting. When business health needs to be determined then the business reports are analyzed. Analysis in accounting enables accountants to find out ways to improve business efficiency, upgrade processes, and to see where unnecessary expenses are being made. Analysis of financial reporting allows your business to run without problems as it ensures no discrepancies are found.

TallyPrime

Accounting solutions to help you manage your business just the way you want.

Accounting process and steps

The accounting process is one of the fundamentals of accounting. Also known as an accounting cycle, it follows a transaction from the moment it was recorded to when a report is made using various transactions that occurred in a particular period of time. Businesses can use single-entry accounting or double-entry accounting. Firms use accounting software packages such as TallyPrime to automate the accounting process. The benefits include saving time, effort, and money for storage, analysis, and retrieval purposes. Companies can fully automate their accounting or they can leave some aspects to be manually handled.

Steps of the accounting process

There are 8 steps in the accounting process. This is a framework and it can vary from company to company as each company has an individual model that it works with.

  • Step 1: Transaction identification

You need to identify your business transactions first. Every unique transaction needs to be recorded so that it is reflected correctly. All expenses such as costs to acquire, repair, and upgrade need to be accounted for. Additionally, every sale record must be stored so it all sales transactions are in one place.

  • Step 2: Journal creation

This step involves recording each transaction in a journal. You can choose between two types of accounting; cash accounting and accrual accounting. The difference is when the transactions are recorded and stored. Cash accounting is recorded the moment the cash is paid or received. Accrual accounting is when transactions are recorded as they occur.

  • Step 3: General ledger posting

After the entry in the journal, the transaction details need to be reflected in the general ledger. The general ledger allows the categorization of transactions because they are saved according to different accounts. That is, transactions of the same account are recorded in one place and so on. This allows easy monitoring according to particular accounts.

  • Step 4: Trial balance

In this step, the trial balance is calculated. Ideally, the debits must be equal to credits for every account. The trial balance throws light on the balances which have not been adjusted yet in every account. When an unadjusted trial balance is found, it is analyzed in the next step of the accounting cycle

  • Step 5: Worksheet analysis

Adjustment of the various transaction entries is done in this step of the accounting process. First, you need to create a worksheet and make sure that the credits and debits are equal to each other. In the case of accrual accounting, there is an additional step here which is to adjust the entries for revenue and expense matching purposes.

  • Step 6: Journal entries adjustment

This is the stage in the accounting cycle where adjustments need to be made. Once the adjustments have been done, the trial balance is prepared again to ensure that the debits are equal to the credits. Only then can you move on to the next step.

  • Step 7: Financial statements

This step involves the financial statements that are generated after all the entries have been adjusted in the journal. In the majority of the cases, the major financial statements will include the cash flow statement, income statement, and balance sheet. These uncover the truth behind how the business is doing financially and how much profits it is earning.

  • Step 8: Closing

The last step of the accounting cycle is when the books are closed. This holds for the temporary accounts as they are shifted to permanent accounts. For example, the profit and loss statement is transferred to the retained earnings accounts and so on. The closing occurs at the end of the reporting period. After this, the cycle starts again.

Key accounting reports

The critical accounting reports are as follows.

  • Balance sheet

The balance sheet contains information about the total liabilities, assets, and stockholder equity. It gives information about the company’s resources and how these sources are being financed. A balance sheet can help you make better business decisions.

  • Profit and loss statement

The profit and loss statement is also known as P&L and income statement. It shows the revenues and expenses of a business over a period of time. A business is going in the right direction when the profits exceed its losses.

  • Statement of cash flows

This report summarizes the cash that is received or paid. It doesn’t reflect the non-cash transactions that take place such as purchases made on the basis of credit. It contains three parts; investing, operating, and financing. It gives information about cash generation.

How accounting software helps businesses

An accounting software tool can take the complexity out of accounting. Whether the business is small, growing, or enterprise-level, every business needs an accounting software package. TallyPrime is the best example of accounting software that handles everything. All you need to do is record the bills and invoices. TallyPrime will automate the rest. It minimizes human errors, automates management of books of accounts, generates informative customized reports and financial statements, and makes tax returns easy. Additionally, it improves inventory management, ensures tax compliance, streamlines business processes, aids in business forecasting, and accurately generates financial statements. This ensures you know how your business is doing at every step of the way.

Some of the key features of TallyPrime:

  • Record and bookkeeping
  • Invoicing and billing
  • Pre-defined chart of accounts
  • Accounts receivable and payable management
  • Wide range of accounting and financial reports
  • Multi-currency support
  • Sales and Purchase Management
  • Online business reports
  • Inventory Management
  • Taxation support

Tally Prime Shortcut Keys

Posted on by Tally Academy

Shortcuts That Work Across Tally Prime

Shortcut Key Description
Alt+G To primarily open a report, and create masters and vouchers in the flow of work.
Ctrl+G To switch to a different report, and create masters and vouchers in the flow of work.
Alt + E To open the export menu for exporting masters, transactions, or reports.
Alt+K To open Company top menu.
Alt + K To open the company menu with the list of actions related to managing your company.
Alt + M To open the e-mail menu for sending transactions or reports.
Alt + O To open the import menu for importing masters, transaction, and bank statements.
Alt + P To open the print menu for printing transactions or reports.
Alt + Y To open the list of actions applicable to managing the company data.
Alt + Z To open the list of actions applicable to sharing or exchanging your company data.
Alt + F3 To select and open another company located in the same folder or other data paths.
Ctrl + F1 To open Tally Help topic based on the context of the screen that is open.
Ctrl + F3 To shut the currently loaded companies.
Ctrl + K To select the display language that is applicable across all screens.
Ctrl + W To select the data entry language that is applicable to all screens.
Ctrl + Left /
Ctrl + Right		 To move to the left-most/right-most drop-down top menu.
Ctrl + Up /
Ctrl + Down		 To move to the first/last menu in a section.
Home To from any point in a field to the beginning of the text in that field.
Home &PgUp To move from any line to the first line in a list.
End To move from any point in a field to the end of the text in that field.
End &PgDn To move from any line to the last line in a list.
Esc To go back to the previous screen by closing the currently open screen.
Esc To remove inputs that is provided/selected for a field.
F1 To open the Help menu.
F11 To open Company Features screen.
F12 To open the list of configurations applicable for the report/view.
F3 To switch to another company from the list of open companies.
Left arrow To move:
One position left in a text field
To the previous column on the left
To the previous menu on the left
Right arrow To move:
One position right in a text field
To the next column on the right
To the next menu on the right
Up arrow To move one line up in a list.
To move to the previous field.
Down arrow To move one line down in a list.
To move to the next field.

Shortcuts in Reports | Tally Prime Shortcut Keys

Shortcut Key Description
Alt + 2 To create an entry in the report, by duplicating a voucher.
Alt + A To add a voucher in a report.
Alt + A To alter a column
Alt + C To add a new column.
Alt + D To delete an entry from a report.
Alt + D To delete a column.
Alt + F1
Alt + F5		 To view the report in detailed or condensed format.
Alt + F12 To filter data in a report, with a selected range of conditions.
Alt + I To insert a voucher in a report.
Alt + N To auto repeat columns.
Alt + T To hide or show the details in a table.
Alt + U To display all hidden line entries, if they were removed.
Alt + V To open the GST Portal.
Ctrl + Alt + I To invert selection of line items in a report.
Ctrl + B To view values in different ways in a report.
Ctrl + Enter To alter a master during voucher entry or from drill-down of a report.
Ctrl + F12 To calculate balances using vouchers that satisfy the selected conditions.
Ctrl + H To change view – display report details in different views.
To navigate to Voucher View from Summary reports.
To navigate to post-dated cheque related transactions report.
Ctrl + J To view the exceptions related to a report.
Ctrl + R To remove an entry from a report.
Ctrl + Shift + End To select or deselect lines till the end.
Ctrl + Shift + Home To select or deselect lines till the top.
Ctrl + Space bar To select or deselect all lines in a report.
Ctrl + U To display the last hidden line (If multiple lines were hidden, pressing this shortcut repeatedly will restore the last hidden line first and follow the sequence).
Enter To drill down from a line in a report.
Shift + Enter To expand or collapse information in a report.
Shift + Sapce bar To select or deselect a line in a report.
Shift + Up /
Shift + Down		 To perform linear selection/de-selection multiple lines in a report.
Space bar To select/deselect a line in a report.

Shortcuts in Vouchers | Tally Prime Shortcut Keys

Shortcut Key Description
F4 To open Contra voucher.
F5 To open Payment voucher.
F6 To open Receipt voucher.
F7 To open Journal voucher.
F8 To open Sales voucher.
F9 To open Purchase voucher.
F10 To view list of all vouchers.
Alt + F5 To open Debit Note.
Alt + F6 To open Credit Note.
Alt + F7 To open Stock Journal voucher.
Alt + F8 To open Delivery Note.
Alt + F9 To open Receipt Note.
Alt + C To open the calculator panel from Amount field.
Alt + D To delete a voucher/transaction.
Alt + R To retrieve Narration from the previous ledger.
Alt + S To open the Stock Query report for the selected stock item.
Alt + V To open a manufacturing journal from the Quantity field of a journal voucher.
Ctrl + F4 To open Payroll voucher.
Ctrl + F5 To open Rejection Out voucher.
Ctrl + F6 To open Rejection In voucher.
Ctrl + F7 To open Physical Stock.
Ctrl + F8 To open Sales Order.
Ctrl + F9 To open Purchase Order.
Ctrl + D To remove item/ledger line in a voucher.
Ctrl + F To auto fill details.
Ctrl + H To change mode: open vouchers in different modes.
Ctrl + L To mark a voucher as Optional
Ctrl + R To retrieve the Narration from the previous voucher, for the same voucher type.
Ctrl + T To mark a voucher as Post-Dated.

Shortcuts in Masters & Vouchers | Tally Prime Shortcut Keys

Shortcut Key Description
Tab To go to the next input field.
Page Up To open the previously saved master or voucher.
To scroll up in reports.
Page Down To open the next master or voucher.
To scroll down in reports.
Backspace To remove the value typed.
Shift + Tab To go to the previous input field.
Alt + C To create a master, on the fly.
Alt + C To open the calculator panel.
Ctrl + I To add more details to a master or voucher for the current instance.
Alt + 4 /
Ctrl + 4		 To insert the base currency symbol in an input field.
Ctrl + C To copy text from an input field.
Ctrl + Alt + C To copy text from an input field.
Ctrl + V To paste input copied from a text field.
Ctrl + Alt + V To paste input copied from a text field.

Shortcuts for Vouchers & Reports | Tally Prime Shortcut Keys

Shortcut Key Description
Ctrl + E To export the current voucher or report.
Ctrl + M To e-mail the current voucher or report.
Ctrl + P To print the current voucher or report.
Alt + J To define stat adjustments.
Alt + X To cancel a voucher.
To cancel a voucher from a report.
Alt + Z To zoom in while on print preview.

Shortcuts for Reports, Vouchers & Masters | Tally Prime Shortcut Keys

Shortcut Key Description
+ To navigate to the next artifact in the context.
To increment the Report date or next report in a sequence of reports displayed.
– To navigate to the previous artifact in the context.
To decrement Report date or previous report in a sequence of reports displayed.
F2 To change the date of voucher entry or period for reports.
Alt + Enter To expand or collapse a group in a table.
Alt + F2 To change the date of voucher entry or period for reports.
Ctrl + End To move to the last field or last line.
Ctrl + Home To move to the first field or first line
Ctrl + A To accept or save a screen.
Ctrl + N To open or hide calculator panel.
Ctrl + Q To exit a screen or the application.

Shortcuts for Data Processing | Tally Prime Shortcut Keys

Shortcut Key Description
Ctrl + Alt + B To view the build information.
Ctrl + Alt + R To rewrite data.
Ctrl + Alt + T To view TDL / Add-on details
Alt + Z To synchronize data.
Alt + F4 To quit the application.

 

e-Invoice under GST?

Posted on by Tally Academy

e-Invoice

Ever since the concept of e-invoicing was approved by the GST council, the buzz around e-invoicing has gained importance among the business community. The introduction of e-invoice was approved by GST council at its 37th  meeting held in the month of September,2019 with the key objective to ensure inter-operability of e-invoices across the GST eco-system.

Invoice being a key document and e-invoicing being a reform related to it, it is super important for businesses to understand it fully and accordingly prepare towards to it.

In this article, let’s discuss and understand everything about e-invoicing under GST.

What is e-invoice in GST?

e-Invoice known as ‘Electronic invoicing’ is a system in which all B2B invoices are electronically uploaded and authenticated by the designated portal.

Post successful authentication, a unique Invoice Reference Number (IRN) is generated for each invoice by IRP. Along with IRN, each invoice is digitally signed and added with a QR code. This process is collectively called as e-invoicing under GST

 

Why e-Invoicing is introduced?

In spite of invoices generated by each software looks more or less the same, the computer system can’t understand it, though the business users can understand them fully. For example, an invoice generated by accounting Software “A” cannot be read by a machine which is using “B” accounting software.

Today, there are hundreds of accounting/billing software which generates invoices and all of them have their own formats to store the information. Owing to this, the GST system can’t read and understand these invoices, although the information in the invoice remains the same.

To cut the long story short, today the same information is presented in different invoice format and there is no way a system can understand it.

Hence, a need was felt to standardize the format in which electronic data of an invoice will be shared with others to ensure there is interoperability of the data.

What are the benefits of e-Invoice?

The basic aim behind the adoption of the e-invoice system is to pre-populate the returns and reduce the reconciliation challenges. This is achieved by the design of the IRP system which shares the invoice data to the GST system and e-way bill system. Thus, continuous uploading of invoice will ensure that most of the details required in returns as well in the e-way bill get auto-populated.

The following are some of the key benefits of e-invoicing:

  • Reduces reporting of same invoice details multiple time in different forms. It’s just one-time upload and everything, as required, will get pre-populated.
  • Part-A of e-Way bill will be auto-captured and only transporter details are required to be updated.
  • On uploading of invoices, the B2B details will be auto-captured in GSTR-1 return.
  • Substantial reduction in input credit verification challenges as the same data will get reported to the tax department as well to the buyer in his inward supply (purchase) register (GSTR-2A).
  • On receipt of info through GST System, a buyer can do a reconciliation with his Purchase register and accept/reject it on time under New Return.
  • Complete trail of B2B invoices and system-level matching of input credit and output tax helps to reduce tax evasion
  • Increase efficiency in tax administration by eliminating fake invoice.

When will e-invoicing be introduced?

To ensure that businesses get enough time to adapt to the new system of electronic invoicing, the GST Council has approved the introduction of e-invoicing in a phased manner.

  • Taxpayers with a turnover of  ₹500 crores and more, e-invoice is already introduced from 1st October 2020.
  • Businesses with a turnover of ₹100 crores  and more, it is applicable from 1st January, 2021.
  • For businesses with a turnover of ₹50 crores  and more, e-invicing is applicable from 1st April,2021

Type of business to whom e-invoice will be applicable?

Electronic Invoicing will be applicable to all the business who are registered under GST and issuing B2B invoices in phased manner as discussed above.

Who should upload the e-invoice?

Under the concept of e-invoice, the seller has to electronically upload the invoice to the IRP system and capture the QR code and IRN (Invoice Reference Number) in the physical copy of the invoice issued to the recipient.

What type of documents are to be reported to GST system?

Following documents are covered under the concept of e-invoice. Meaning the creator of these document needs to upload it to the IRP system.

  • Invoice by Supplier
  • Credit Note by Supplier
  • Debit Note by Supplier
  • Any other document as required by law to be reported by the creator of the document

How is e-invoice different from the current practice of invoicing?

E-invoice is a system in which the invoice needs to be electronically uploaded and authenticated with a unique invoice reference number (IRN) and digitally singed QR code. The change is that the seller needs to print the QR code and IRN number on the invoice before issuing it to the buyer.

Businesses using ERP/ business management software that seamlessly connects with IRP system and automatically prints the QR code and IRN on the invoice will find it easy to manage e-invoice requirements without much changes to the business process.

What are the modes of generating e-Invoice?

Multiple modes will be made available so that the taxpayer can use the best mode based on his/her need. The following are different mode of generating e-Invoice?

    • Web-Based,
    • API Based,
    • SMS Based,
  • Mobile App
  • offline tool based and
  • GSP based