This page describes primary functionality differences between Classic USPS and USPS-R.  It does NOT attempt to describe changes which are just changes to the user interface.  See the relevant chapters for details on how each option functions.  To see the Crosswalk of the Payroll Menu and the Classic counterparts, click Here

Report Grids

One major new feature is the ability to generate reports directly from the grids. This means you can filter the grids to contain only the columns and filtered information you desire and generate a report directly from this information. Te reports can be in any of the supported formats including PDF, excel and CSV. Totalling is also included for numeric fields. We feel this is a very useful new feature and will ease the learning curve associated with learning the custom report creator since many simple reports can be generated directly from the available grids. You can also save these grid reports as custom reports for later recall and modification via the custom report creator. 

Enhanced Queries and Grids:

In USPS-R, most data types show up in customizable grids.  The user is able to select the fields that they want to appear in each grid, as well as the order of the columns.  Grid results are "lazy-loaded", meaning that you can scroll down through all of the data and it gets loaded as you go.  This means there is no limit on maximum records that can be returned, and no "page numbers" to deal with to see your results.  Clicking on a row in the grid brings up a highlight view of the record you are on.  

Users are also no longer limited on the fields that they can do queries on.  USPS-R users will be able to filter grid results directly via a "filter row".  In addition, there is also an advanced query that allows querying against virtually any field related to the type of data being queried. The advanced queries can be saved and recalled later, and will also be available as filters in the dynamic reports described below.

Dynamic Reporting Capabilities:

USPS-R contains very dynamic reporting capabilities which allow you to select data from nearly any data type, filter the data using basic or advanced query criteria, determine which columns to include on your report and the order of the columns, sort by any field, and do control breaks with totals.  You can output to a variety of outputs including text, pdf, excel, and csv format, along with other lesser known formats, and select between portrait or landscape views.  The report criteria can be saved and recalled later.

Custom Fields:

Custom Fields are fields that districts can create for themselves to hold a wide variety of data that was not available in Classic USPS.  They will be available in nearly all options, although this functionality will be phased in as user interfaces are rewritten.  Custom fields can be used anywhere a normal field is used, including in queries and reports.  They can also be enabled or disabled as desired by the district.  The district can specify whether each Custom Field should be included in the Basic Query options for reports, and whether it should be included as a column in the query results.

Custom Fields can be any of the following types:  Text, Code, Money, Number, Date, Date/Time, Web Address, Email, User, or Boolean (True/False).  With the "Code" type you can define your own list of codes with their definitions and these will be used to produce drop down boxes in the user interface.  In addition, there are special Custom Field types for Created Date/Time, Last Modified Date/Time, Created User, and Last Modified User which will automatically be updated by the system and can optionally be used to keep track of this information for any data type.

Some of the fields from Classic USPS have been turned into Custom Fields.  Since you can disable Custom Fields, this has the advantage of allowing districts to remove fields that they don't use or care about from their screens.  The fields from Classic USPS that have been turned into Custom Fields are:

• All "User Defined" fields

• All "Entered Date" and "Posted By User" fields (these are automatically updated for you by the system)

***Matt may need to add this information***

Benefit Accrual:

When benefit accrual is ran in USPS-R, leave will not be accrued for concealed employees.  Classic USPS will accrue leave for a concealed employee if the employee has an active or inactive position that is marked as eligible for the leave being accrued.  We believe this to be a bug in classic USPS.

The following fields are new or are named differently than in Classic:

For more information on the Mass Change option, please click here

Formerly ROUTSCN

Formerly DIRDEP/DIRMNT 

The Adjustments option allows you to create, delete, and/or modify employees Payroll Items.

Formerly 001 FEDERAL record

• Health Insurance

  • Difference from Classic - Employer Health Coverage - In Classic, this entry in the employees 001 Federal record (Emplr Hth) used to override the employee and employer amount, marked as 'Include as employer-sponsored health coverage?'  in DEDNAM.  

  • In Redesign - Health Insurance - The Adjustment for Health Insurance does NOT OVERRIDE the amount, it + or - the total amount calculated.

  • The amount in the 001 Federal record Emplr Hth field does NOT get imported as an adjustment in redesign as the adjustments in redesign are not treated as an override value.  If a value was manually entered in the Emplr Hth field in classic, a corresponding manual adjustment for Health Insurance would need to be added for the Federal item to adjust the value up or down to get the expected total value.

• Moving Expense 

  • For Active Military Only

• Taxable Benefits (N3)

  • Difference from Classic - If the Non-Cash Taxable Benefit Pay Type was NOT USED prior to the last pay of the calendar year, the Taxable Benefits (NC3) payment amount must be entered under the CORE/ADJUSTMENT JOURNAL in order for the Non-Cash Taxable Benefit amount to show correctly on the W2 form and to insure that the Quarter balances.  The W2 Report will automatically adjust the Federal, State, Medicare, OSDI and City, if applicable, the gross and taxable gross amounts. NOTE: The city is only adjusted when the Payroll Item Configuration setup for the city payroll item is checked to Tax Non Cash Earnings. In Classic, the total and taxable gross must be manually adjusted.   No manual adjustments are needed.

• Fringe Benefits

• Life Insurance (NC1)

  • Difference from Classic - If the Life Insurance Premium Pay Type was NOT USED prior to the last pay of the calendar year, the Life Insurance (NC1) payment amount must be entered under the CORE/ADJUSTMENT JOURNAL in order for the Life Insurance amount to show correctly on the W2 form and to insure that the Quarter balances.  The W2 Report will automatically adjust the Federal, State, Medicare, OSDI and City, if applicable, the total and taxable gross amounts.  NOTE: The city is only adjusted when the Payroll Item Configuration setup for the city payroll item is checked to Tax Non Cash Earnings. In Classic, the total and taxable gross must be manually adjusted.  No manual adjustments are needed.

• Adoption Assistance (NC2)

  • Difference from Classic - If the Adoption Assistance Pay Type was NOT USED prior to the last pay of the calendar year, the Adoption Assistance (NC2) payment amount must be entered under the CORE/ADJUSTMENT JOURNAL in order for the Adoption Assistance amount to show correctly on the W2 form and to insure that the Quarter balances.  The W2 Report will automatically adjust the Medicare and City, if applicable, the total and taxable gross amounts.   NOTE: The city is only adjusted when the Payroll Item Configuration setup for the city payroll item is checked to Tax Non Cash Earnings. In Classic, the total and taxable gross must be manually adjusted.  No manual adjustments are needed. Withholding will still need to be dealt with either through a manual adjustment or some form of payroll error adjustment.  

• Dependent Care

• Third Party pay

• Vehicle Lease

• Health Reimbursement

Formerly FTD, QTD and YTD fields on employees DEDSCN

• Total Gross

• Applicable Gross

• Amount Withheld

• Applicable Annuities (Classic Taxable Gross)

• Board's Amount of payroll item

• Earned Income Credit Amount

• Additional Withholding Amount

• Portion of FTD Board Amount that was earned as a rehired retiree

• Portion of FTD Board Amount that was withheld as a rehired retiree

• Portion of FTD Gross that was earned as a rehired retiree

• ODJFS Total Gross

• Board's Pickup Amount of Payroll Item

Formerly ATDSCN to adjust SERS and STRS days/hours, EMIS weeks, ODJFS weeks

Formerly BENSCN to adjust Sick Advance Used days - CORE/Leave

Formerly ATDSCN 

Multiple bank accounts can be setup to have the option to print payroll and payee checks from.

Used to create, update and delete Building and Department Codes

Contracts are for employee's that have a specific amount that is to be paid to that person during a payroll period.

Non-Contracts would be an unknown total amount.  A non-contract would be considered as substitutes or part time employees and anyone who didn't have a contracted amount.  Employee's that would work an unknown amount of days or hours during a payroll period.  

Formerly JOBSCN

Formerly BIOSCN and DEMSCN