Expression Rate Tables can be configured with multiple qualifiers that can return values which are referenced in the expression builder of an earning or deduction. The payroll engine will dynamically look up the employee’s respective qualifying assignment as of the end of the pay period and return the appropriate value from the rate table to use in the expression builder.
This makes it easier for users to administer employee payroll amounts or even to define multiple values that might change across qualification and across time. Instead of having to build multiple qualifiers across the earnings and deductions definitions, payroll administrators can establish rate tables to set each eligible employee’s calculation parameters.
In Dayforce, expressions tables are configured in Payroll Setup > Expression Rate Table. See Configure Expression Rate Tables.
Important: If you want to use multiple rates with the same category in multiple tables, the name of the category must be unique.
Example of unique category names
You have 18 rate tables to build that all use different values for Reg, OT, DBL and STAT.
In the rate table, you need to make the category name unique to link it properly in the expression parameters.
For example, for the Admin fund, add the letters "A" and "F" to associate the category name with the admin fund, such as REG AF, OT AF, DBL AF, STAT AF.
For the Benefit fund, add the letters "B" and "F" to associate the category name with the benefit fund, such as REG BF, OT BF, DBL BF, STAT BF.
When to Use Expression Rate Tables
Expression rate tables use a combination of one or more qualifying parameters and one or more calculating parameters to perform calculations.
| Scenario | Resolution |
|---|---|
| Employees belong to a union and want to have union dues automatically deducted from their payroll | The payroll administrator sets up an expression rate table with one or more Union Codes (qualifying parameters) to define one or more scheduled deduction amounts (calculating parameters). Each employee’s union dues deduction will have the scheduled amount calculated based on the Union Code on their employee record. |
| Employees in multiple states belong to a union and want to have union dues automatically deducted from their payroll | The payroll administrator sets up an expression rate table with one or more Union Codes and Work States (qualifying parameters) to define one or more scheduled deduction amounts (calculating parameters). Each employee’s Union Dues deduction will have the scheduled amount calculated based on the Union Code and Work State on their employee record |
| Employees are enrolled in a 401(k) matching program in which contributions are calculated against both length of service and year to date limits. | The payroll administrator sets up an expression rate table with one or more Length of Service definitions (qualifying parameters) within the table to define one or more match percentages (calculating parameters), as well as one or more YTD limits (calculating parameters). Each employee’s 401(k) match earnings will have the amount calculated based on both the percentage and the YTD limit defined by their length of service. |
Add the Expression Rate Table Feature to a Role
Before users can access this feature, it must be released to the instance by a Support role user.
Once the feature has been released to the instance, a Support role user can add the feature to the role of payroll administrator (and other authorized roles).
To add the Expression Rate Table feature to a role:
- Go to System Admin > Roles.
- In the Roles section, select the role to which you want to add this feature.
- Click the Features tab, then go to Payroll Setup > Payroll Setup and select the Expression Rate Table checkbox.
- Click Save.
Overview of the Expression Rate Table Interface
The following image illustrates an example of an expression rate table for union dues based on multiple union code qualifiers that are used to help to determine union dues rates:
In an Expression Rate Table:
- Category: Represents the resulting output fields of the rate table. A rate table will typically have one category but could have multiple.
- Criteria: Represents the qualifying fields to be used in a rate table. A rate table typically will have at least one criteria field but could have multiple.
The following parameters (Exclude and Include) are available for selection as criteria in a rate table:
- Departments
- Employee Groups
- Employment Indicators
- Employment Status
- Job Assignments
- Job Families
- Job Pay Grades
- Jobs
- Locations
- Pay Types
- Province of Residence
- Unions
- WCB Province