Employee census
An employee census is the workforce list you supply for payroll setup, conversion, or a benefits quote, with one row per employee.
A census holds the identity, employment, pay, location, and classification details the receiving system needs. Its accuracy depends on the pull date and the filter that produced it, because a census is a point-in-time extract. Scope is where a census usually goes wrong. A complete census includes future-dated starts, employees on leave, recent rehires, and employees assigned to more than one location or entity. A census describes who your employees are and how they are set up, while a payroll register reports what one run calculated.
What does a census review check?
A census review tests the file against the questions the receiving system will ask, before conversion rather than during it. Terminated employees marked active are the classic defect a review catches, distorting headcountHeadcount. Headcount is the number of people you employ at a point in time, with each employee counted once whatever hours they work.Click to open the term, benefit quotes, and conversion balances. Agree on the as-of date before the extract runs: a census pulled mid-month will not reconcile with a month-end payroll register. Route failing rows to an exception queue with a named owner, since the fix usually happens in your source system.
| CHECK | TEST IT AGAINST |
|---|---|
| Identity | Duplicates across name, employee number, and entity |
| Employment status | Termination dates |
| Pay rate | Pay type and standard hours |
| Work location | The address that drives tax and labor rules |
| Classification | How the employee is actually paid |
General information, not legal or tax advice. Apply current federal and state rules with qualified guidance.