Zoho Payroll's Product Updates | August 2024

At Zoho Payroll, our commitment goes beyond providing software—it’s about empowering you to focus on what truly drives your business: your people.

This August, we are delighted to introduce a set of updates for our users in India and the UAE, that not only refine payroll processes but also bring more clarity and ease to your daily tasks. From personalised earning calculations to secure handling of employee data, we are dedicated to supporting you every step of the way.

Join us as we dive deeper into these enhancements and discover how Zoho Payroll continues to evolve, keeping your needs at the forefront of our efforts.

Calculate Earnings Based on Percentage of CTC (India - Early Access)

At Zoho Payroll, we understand the complexities you face in managing diverse compensation packages of your employees. To simplify this, we’ve expanded the options we provide for you to calculate the fixed earnings of your employees. Now, you can calculate earnings based on a percentage of the CTC (Cost to Company).

Note: Earnings based on a percentage of CTC can only be calculated for fixed earnings, not variable earnings.

This feature is perfect for scenarios where employees have various allowances and incentives tied to their total compensation. 

To do this, go to Settings, select Salary Components, choose an Earning, and set the calculation based on CTC. When you preview an employee’s salary, the calculated values are displayed, offering complete clarity. This ensures fair, transparent, and easy-to-manage compensation.

Calculate Earnings Based on Percentage of Other Earnings (India, UAE - Early Access)

For our users in India and the UAE, we’ve provided the ability to calculate fixed earnings based on other earnings. 

Note: Earnings based on a percentage of other earnings can only be calculated for fixed earnings, not variable earnings.

Scenario: Think of Jalal, an employee in the UAE, whose earnings are based on various performance metrics. With the enhanced feature, you can now set his earnings to be a percentage of his bonuses or other performance-based earnings.

To set this up, go to Settings, select Salary Components, choose an Earning, and set the calculation based on earnings.Once these earnings are associated with an employee, you’ll be able to preview the calculation used to derive the earnings.  This ensures fair, transparent, and easy-to-manage compensation. 

Sample Formula:

Let's take the example of formula used to calculate the Travel Allownce earning below. 

Transportation Allowance=(Basic Amount+Travelling Allowance Amount) × 8%

Explanation: In this case, the other earning that was used to calulcate the Travel Allowance earning is the Basic. The Transportation Allowance is calculated as 8% of the sum of the employee's Basic Amount and Travelling Allowance Amount.

Custom Field Support for Loans Module

We’ve introduced custom field support for the Loans module, giving you the flexibility to capture additional loan details that are not available by default in Zoho Payroll. 

With this feature, you can now create and configure custom fields for loans, ensuring that every piece of critical information is recorded accurately. Whether you need to track specific notes, collateral details, or unique repayment conditions, custom fields allow you to personalize loan records like never before.

Setting up a custom field for loans is simple:

• Navigate to Settings and select Preferences.
• Go to Loans and choose Custom Field and configure it to fit your needs.
  

Loans - Custom Fields

Other Enhancements in UAE

Passport Number in Letter Templates

We have introduced the option to include passport numbers as placeholders in various letter templates, such as Salary Certificates, Salary Revision Certificates, Bonus Letters, and Salary Transfer Letters. By including passport numbers, you enhance the authenticity and compliance of your official documents.

To add the passport number to a salary certificate:

• Navigate to Settings > Templates > Salary Certificate > Edit.
• Click Manage Content, then select Insert Placeholders and choose Passport Number.
  

AL-Ansari Exchange House - SIF Format

We now support the AL-Ansari Exchange House SIF format, a standardised file format for salary information files used by AL-Ansari Exchange House in the UAE. This format simplifies payroll processing by ensuring that salary disbursement data is accurate and compliant with banking regulations. 

Enhancements in India

Allow Restricted Type EPF Contribution for Variable Earnings (Early Access)

We now allow variable earnings to be considered for EPF contributions, specifically when the PF Wage is less than ₹15,000. 

In many organizations, employees have variable components in their salary, such as bonuses, incentives, or overtime pay. Previously, these variable earnings were not considered for EPF contributions, which could limit the retirement benefits for employees earning less than ₹15,000 in PF wges. By allowing these earnings to be included, we ensure that employees' retirement savings are more comprehensive and reflective of their total income.

Include Conveyance Allowance in New Tax Regime

Conveyance allowances, which are typically provided to employees to cover travel expenses from home to the workplace, can now be included in the new tax regime calculations. This update ensures accurate tax deductions and helps employees benefit from tax exemptions on their travel allowances. 

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That's all for now! We're always eager to hear your feedback and suggestions. If you have any feature requests, please share them in the comments below. For assistance, contact us at support@zohopayroll.com. 

Stay tuned for more updates from Zoho Payroll!

With a shared purpose,

The Zoho Payroll Team

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