Creating Custom Work Patterns

Due to the way the work pattern screen works now, creating abnormal work patterns for employees is significantly easier than it used to be. However, in some cases you may need more flexibility than the standard work pattern screen offers, which is when a custom work pattern is needed.

Note: Custom work patterns do require some consideration depending on their design / purpose. Any leave applied to the Pay Packet (either through a Leave Request submitted through Direct Access / ESS, or via the Add Component function in the Pay Packet) will only reduce hours from the Ordinary Hours Worked component. If your custom work pattern is only paying Ordinary Hours Worked and is used to apply a more complex rotating schedule than the standard work pattern screen can provide, this is not an issue. If your custom work pattern is used to substitute some of the Ordinary Hours Worked with another component (e.g. Ordinary Pay - Alt Rate 1) then you will need to be aware that leave will only reduce the Ordinary Hours Worked portion of the employee day, leaving the other hours untouched.

When creating a new custom work pattern for employees, please make sure the start date is correct as this will affect the way dates are presented in the initial work pattern set up screen.

In the 'Employee Groups' menu, navigate to the 'Select Employee Group' > 'Add Employee Group'

From the 'Employee Group Details' view, fill in name, 'Employee Group Type' as 'Pay Condition' and Region (if 'with public holidays'), and select a Start Date. Once complete, save the changes.

In the 'Work Patterns' view of the new employee group, click 'More Details'.

Give your new work pattern the same name as your new employee group, and designate the duration of pay run in days. The maximum duration of a custom work pattern is now 56 days / 8 weeks.

Click 'Add' beside the 'Values'

In the 'Company Components' column under Payments, select 'Ordinary Hours Pay', then select 'Hours Worked' in the 'Input Parameters' column. You may enter a default value for the hours worked if you wish, then click 'OK'. These values will be changed for each day in a later step, entering a default can simply save time if most days will use this value.

Check if the input has been successfully implemented then click 'Add' beside the 'Values' again.
Under 'Leave' select 'Days Paid' then select 'Days Paid' under the 'Input Parameters'. Enter a default value if you with then click 'OK'. This would typically be set to 1 for any day that will be paid Ordinary Hours.

If this is a 'With Public Holidays' Employee Group, click 'Add' beside 'Values' again.

Under 'Leave Taken' select 'Public Holiday Taken' then select 'Leave Hours Taken' under the 'Input Parameters'

Enter a default value if you wish, then click 'OK'.

Click 'Add' beside 'Values' again

Under 'Leave Taken' select 'Public Holiday Taken', then select 'Leave Days Taken' under the 'Input Parameters'. Enter a default value if you with then click 'OK'.

If your Employee Group uses Public Holidays, click 'Add' beside 'Assignments'.

Under 'Leave Taken' select 'Public Holiday Taken' then click 'OK'.

Days and hours required can be entered into the necessary cells. Weekends are included in the work pattern and Day 1 is the day you selected for your start date. The 'Leave Hours Taken' and 'Ordinary Hours Worked' rows should match, as should 'Days worked' and 'Leave Days Taken'.
The 'Apply' field for 'Ordinary Hours Worked' and 'Days worked' should be set to 'Always' and the tick-box checked for 'Ordinary Hours Worked'; For 'Leave Hours Taken' and 'Leave Days Taken', then 'Apply' field should be set to 'On Public Holidays'.

The newly created work Pattern will then need to be assigned, so right-click in the 'Assignments' box and select 'New Assignment'.

Select the Work Pattern you just made, and make sure the 'Effective From' date is same as the start date.

Select the appropriate start day. If you wish your Work Pattern to start on the same day as your 'Effective From' date, you would select 'Day 1', then click 'OK'.

Save your new Employee Group and Work Pattern.

Check the 'Standard Hours Per Week' and 'Standard Days Per Week' fields are populated and correct. If the fields are blank or incorrect, add or alter the amount and save again. Both values should be an average per week for the time period.

E.g. in a 4 week work pattern, where the employee works 30 hours in weeks 1 and 2, yet doesn't work in weeks 3 and 4, the work pattern would have a Standard Hours Per Week of 15.