What's New in CenterPoint® Payroll Version 17

*Incremental version that is available on demand. Call Red Wing Software Technical Support to request this update.

Version 17.16*

  • Installation - Added a check to make sure the hard drive sector size is correct.

Version 17.15*

  • File > Exports > Standard Generic Retirement Export - The Employee Contributions Rate Source columns will now show the correct rate, based on effective date, for the time period the export is run for.

Version 17.14*

  • Installation - CenterPoint will now install on ARM processor computers. Contact the Red Wing Software Technical Support team for more information.

Version 17.11/17.12/17.13

  • Fixes
    • Reports > Reports > Payroll Setup Lists > Employees > Employee Audit Log – The Changed By column will now display the correct user if using database security with multiple users.
    • CenterPoint Time Clock - Corrected a synchronization issue the first time registering and signing up for CenterPoint Time Clock.

Version 17.9/17.10

What's New in Version 17.9 Video

  • System
    • Imports - Expanded the capabilities of the command-line import managers to match the user interface version.
    • A new API interface makes it easier for 3rd parties to integrate their products with CenterPoint.
    • If the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) compliance policy is set on your operating system or network, CenterPoint will now successfully load.
    • Updated technology used to develop CenterPoint.
    • Updated installation technology and Windows operating system support to ensure CenterPoint installations are kept up-to-date with the latest advances in technology.
    • Date options for "This Week" will now use Windows setting for the Start Day of Week.
  • File
    • Preferences
      • General > Pay Run Validation - Added pay run validation for additional tracking fields (Production Center/Location, Production Series/Tracking Number 1, Production Year)/Tracking Number 2 and Project).
      • Email Setup > Email Setup > Port - Expanded the field to 4 digits.
    • Backup > Backup File Repository - Added a new option to back up and restore file attachments in the File Repository when the File > Preferences > General > File Attachments preference is set to a file repository location (instead of the database method).
    • New > Copy Database - When a database is copied, existing file attachments will now not be copied to the new database.
  • Setup
    • Employees
      • Moved the tax look ups (Tax State, Second Tax State, SUTA State, and Workers' Comp Class) from the Payroll tab to the Taxes tab
      • If the Tax State or SUTA State selected for an employee is inactive on the employee's setup, a warning will now display.
      • General tab - When notes are added from the Additional Notes button, the button label will now change to Edit Notes with a yellow background.
    • Payroll Details
      • Deductions & Benefits > Limits tab - Added a new Combine Contributions for Limits section that allows you to specify the deductions to be combined when applied to limits. For example, combining limits for traditional and Roth 401Ks if an employee contributes to both.
      • Employers - Expanded break pay setup capabilities to include customized settings by hours/total break (minutes) to accommodate state break pay mandates.
      • Time Import Definitions - Added a default Time Portal import definition.
      • Time Clock Settings - Added selections that allow employers to determine how groups of employees interact with the time clock, via the website, mobile app, kiosk, or a combination. This feature will allow Kiosk users access to the website/mobile app for time off requests without allowing them to clock in/out anywhere but on the Kiosk.
  • Processes
    • Pay Employees
      • Special Adjustments tab
        • The tab is now easier to use with a new intuitive user interface.
        • Added a Break-out adjustment by Earning Detail check box that allows break pay to be broken out to the same detail as the earnings involved in the calculated break pay.
      • Enter Pay tab > Pay Grid - New optional tracking field columns (Profit Center/Department, Production Center/Location, Production Series/Tracking Number 1, Production Year)/Tracking Number 2 and Project) are now available on the Overtime Earnings section and can be modified for calculated overtime earnings.
    • Reprint Payroll Checks/Advices - Added an Employee filter that allows you to find checks/advices for a specific employee.
    • Processes > Time Sheets
      • Time Clock Import > Time Card Summary - Added an Export button that allows you to export to Microsoft Excel and review time card data before it is brought into CenterPoint.
      • Time Import > Time Clock - Added an (Optional) Department box that allows you to specify a department for importing time clock entries separately by department.
    • Calculated Overtime will now exclude any previously calculated overtime for the same periods in other posted pay runs.
  • Reports
    • Payroll Setup Lists > Employees
      • Employees - Added an optional Overtime Earning (Abbreviation) and Overtime Earning columns to the report.
      • Employee Audit Log - The report will now include full audit logging in new Description, Old Value, and New Value columns on the report for all changes made in Setup > Employees.
      • Employee Leave - Added an optional Active report selection filter to the report.
    • Payroll Data Reports > Payroll Totals > Check Sign Out - Added a new report that includes the Check Number, Employee, and Employee Abbreviation columns and a Signature column that provides an area for an employee to sign to indicate a check was received for additional process control.
  • Fixes
    • Processes > Pay Employees
      • Copy - When copying a pay run with blank default dates (File > Preferences > Pay Dates > Use Default Dates is set to No), the "Taxes and Deductions have been calculated for a different Year..." warning will no longer display.
      • When zero dollar time sheets are imported into a pay run, a rounding credit will no longer occur after the earning expense accounts have been distributed.

Click here to view the entire list of enhancements for CenterPoint Time Clock.

Version 17.7/17.8

  • Fixes
    • System - Added a new Settings file entry to prevent the program from checking for running versions of Aatrix.

Version 17.6

  • Fixes
    • Pay Employees – Modified a rounding calculation relating to allocation and proration of pre-tax deduction amounts across multiple taxing states.

Version 17.5

  • Processes > Pay Employees - When an employee has earnings in multiple taxing states and has pre-tax deductions that reduce the taxable wages, only the state withholding will change based on the pre-tax deductions.

  • Fixes
    • Reports > Reports > Payroll Tax Data Reports > Workers’ Compensation > Workers’ Compensation – Set the report to show summary level detail as it did on version 16.
    • Processes > Pay Invoices Due - Resolved an issue paying some negative invoices created by payroll liabilities.

Version 17.4

  • Fixes
    • Reports
      • For reports with multiple companies included, the company header row will now truncate to one row as it did on version 16.

Version 17.3

  • Removed the following change and restored the version 16 functionality to better assess all multi-state setup scenarios:

    • When an employee has earnings in multiple taxing states and has pre-tax deductions that reduce the taxable wages, only the state withholding will change based on the pre-tax deductions.

Version 17.2

  • Tax Withholding
    • Updated the Utah wage bracket and percentage method for withholding tables for wages paid on or after May 1, 2022. The revisions reflect a reduction in the personal income tax rate to 4.85% from 4.95% effective 1/1/22.
    • Updated the Alabama standard deduction adjustment that will result in a small tax withholding decrease.
  • Fixes
    • Reports - Corrected a page number scrolling issue when previewing a report.
    • Generic Retirement Export - Blank termination dates will now be exported as blanks instead of a 1/1/0001 date.

Version 17.1

  • Fixes
    • Reports – If using the No Indent style on a report, you will no longer receive an error if no data is being returned to the report.

Version 17.0

  • System
    • Microsoft® SQL Server® 2019 will now be distributed with new CenterPoint installations and manual upgrades from prior installs.
    • Help > Product Registrations > Federal/State Tax Forms Registration - The Aatrix registration process will now be automatic if you have a current Customer Care Membership and an internet connection.
    • Updated CenterPoint with the latest changes to US and Canadian Zip/Postal Codes.
  • Tax Withholding
    • Updated the Michigan Obligation Assessment Wage Base to $9500 effective 1/1/22.
    • Updated the Connecticut Paid Leave wage limit to $147,000 effective 1/1/22.
  • File
    • Preferences > Payroll > General - Added a new Exclude Zero Rate Earnings from Average Rate Calculation preference that allows you to determine if the average rate used for overtime calculations includes/excludes earnings that have no rate.
    • Generic Retirement Export
      • Birth Date, Hire Dates, and Termination Date will now be exported unformatted (without the slashes).
      • The employee contribution rate can now be exported from the Setup > Employee > Deduction & Benefits tab.
      • Added the Pay Period Letter (which is the first letter of the Pay Period Name) optional available column to the export.
    • Backup
      • Added a new menu option that includes all of the CenterPoint backup options: Backup Database, Backup User Files, and a new option to Backup Aatrix History Files which makes performing backups easier to locate and use.
      • Backup Database - If the Save To Path selected is the local C:\ drive, a message will now display with information about the recommended backup locations.
  • Setup
    • Payroll Details
  • Employers - When a new company is added to an existing employer, the employee active status will now be set to Yes only if the employee is active for all the companies associated with the employer.
  • Earnings and Deductions & Benefits - In specific databases with many employers, improved the performance when adding and saving an earning/deduction.
  • Job Titles - Added a new Job Titles menu option that allows you to create a user-definable list of employee job titles that can be selected on the Setup > Employees > Employment tab.
  • Employees
    • Copy
      • When a template employee is copied, the Additional Notes will be copied to the newly created employee and when an existing employee is copied, the Additional Notes will not be copied to the newly created employee.
      • When an employee is copied from another employee, the Eligibility and Wait Period dates on the Leave tab will be reset to match the Hire Date. Setup > Employees > Employment tab - When the Hire Date is changed, you will now be prompted if you want to also reset the Eligibility Dates on the Leave tab to the new Hire Date. If you chose to change the Hire Date, the Wait Period Date will be recalculated to an appropriate date on or after the new Hire Date.
    • Mass Update > General - Added the ability to select the Job Title to mass update from a lookup list.
    • Employment tab
      • Added a S.O.C (Standard Occupational Classification) box that allows entry of 7 characters (6 digit code and a formatting character.). Employers will be required to report this information for each employee in their quarterly tax reports as of the 4th quarter 2022.  Reports > Reports > Payroll Setup Lists > Employees > Employees - Added an optional Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) column to the report.
      • Added a Veteran box which allows you to track whether an employee is a veteran.
    • Filters tab - Added a new Supervisor and Pay Method filter.
  • Forms Designer > Payroll Check Stub Designer - Added a Job Title (Abbreviation) available field and updated the Job Title field to display from Setup > Payroll Details > Job Titles.
  • Processes
    • Calculate Paid Leave, Leave Adjustments, and Mass Leave Adjustments - Employees marked as template employees will no longer display in the Employee list.
    • Calculate Paid Leave - When the leave category for leave is set to the Method of Hours and Calculate Base On is set to Calendar Year Anniversary, hourly leave calculations will now go back to the eligibility date when a wait period has expired, even if that date is prior to the current leave balance start date.
  • Time Sheets
    • Time Import > Time Import Files - Improved error logging and validation.
    • JobBOSS Time Import - Added a Company selection that allows you to specify the company you are importing employee time for.
  • Purchases > Pay Invoices Due - Added a Separate Checks column drop-down list that allows you to select to print multiple checks to the same vendor in one check run.
  • Pay Employees
    • When a taxable earning and a non-taxable earning are paid on a pay run, the distribution of earning expenses offsetting payroll liabilities will now only include those earnings affected by the taxable earning.
    • In specific circumstances where a pay run does not complete posting, a Posting Incomplete message will now display to inform you that the "Update Pay Run Status" step remains and the pay run should be posted again.
    • When an employee has earnings in multiple taxing states and has pre-tax deductions that reduce the taxable wages, only the state withholding will change based on the pre-tax deductions.
    • Select Employees tab - Added a Do NOT Calculate Overtime check box that allows you to enter a pay run without any Calculated Overtime.
    • Special Adjustments tab - When an adjustment earning is added to an employee's pay that is marked to be included in Calculated Overtime, the adjustment will automatically be included in the overtime calculation and added to the first available overtime period.
    • If a Pay Date on a pay run is changed to a different year, after calculating taxes, a "Taxes and Deductions have been calculated for a different Year than is currently selected. Would you like to recalculate Taxes and Deductions now?" message will now display to ensure taxes and deductions are calculated accurately.
    • When a pay run is copied, the next available sequence number will now be assigned.
    • For employees who work in multiple states, when an employee withholds extra tax for a specific state, the extra tax will be withheld only when there are taxable wage earnings in the state for the pay period.
  • Reports
    • Added a Search option that allows you to filter and locate reports by title.
    • Export - Added an option to export to the Excel (XLSX) format.
    • Federal & State Payroll Forms & Reports
      • Added extra security encryption to the Federal/State files sent to Aatrix for processing.
      • If Aatrix is open and it is opened again (possibly because it is hidden behind CenterPoint), an "Aatrix is already running. You must close it before you can open another report." message will now display.
    • Payroll Setup Lists
      • Employees
        • Employee Audit Log - Added a new report that logs when a change is made to employee records from Setup > Employees and Setup > Employees > Mass Update.
        • Employees
          • Added a Work Shift report selection filter.
          • Added a Consent to Electronic W-2 and Consent to Electronic 1095 columns and report selection filters to the report.
          • Employee Deductions & Benefits List, Employee ACA Setup Detail, and Employee Deductions & Benefits List, Payroll Tax Data Reports > Workers' Compensation > Workers' Compensation and Workers' Compensation (Detail) - Added a Job Title column and report selection filter.
          • EEOC Employment - Added an optional Veteran column to the report.
    • Payroll State Specific Reports > New York - When printing the report for multiple employees, the employer information will now print at the top of each page of the report.
    • Payroll Data Reports
      • Pay Advance (Amount Repaid) - Added a new report that lists employee pay advance repayments by pay date.
      • Payroll Totals > Employee Payroll Totals - Added an optional Hours Offered column and report selection filter.
  • Fixes
    • Setup > Payroll Details > Pay Stub Translations - Removed the Combine button to prevent duplicate pay stub translations.
    • Processes > Pay Employees
      • Void Checks - When a negative A/P invoice is applied that was generated from paid liabilities associated with voided payroll checks, the modified cash balance will now be accurate.
      • When calculating accrued leave for a leave category set to the Method of Hours during pay run posting, the date, hours worked, and hours used will now be based on the File > Preferences > Payroll > Leave > Adjust Leave Using preference Pay Date or Pay Period To date.
    • Reports > Reports > Payroll Tax Data Reports - Federal > Federal Unemployment Tax by Employee - The Wages Over Limit column will now display on the report by default.
    • Processes > Purchases > Pay Invoices Due - If the vendor check stub type is Standard (Detail), the vendor check will now print the Alternate Name for a deduction for employees with an Alternate Name on the Setup > Employees > Deductions & Benefits tab (if the Alternate Name is blank, the deduction/benefit name will print on the check instead).
    • Setup > Forms Designer > File > Save As - Form designer save as layout to file will now save the file with a .devx extension instead of a .devx).
  • When an employee changes any tax information through the Employee Portal and they are approved by the administrator, a new Effective Date will be saved to CenterPoint for the date the tax changes are approved.
  • The pending changes notification will now display after selecting and opening the Pay Employees or Employees screens.
  • The performance of the synchronization process was improved by excluding employees that are marked as a Template in Setup > Employees.

Click here to view the entire list of enhancements for CenterPoint Time Clock.

  • CenterPoint Data Importer
    • When the Type of Import is Transactions - General Journals, the General Journal Entry Transaction Type is now available for import.
    • When the Type of import is set to Employees, added the Job Title column which will allow you to import employee job title information.
    • Added a new Name Location import type that allows you to import addresses for Names (customers, vendors, employees).
    • Show Command Line - When the import type is Names, the type of import will now be included on the command line.