Integration with Hectre

Crystal Payroll can easily integrate with Hectre. Setting up the integration can take a few steps, but once the setup is ready, it is smooth sailing from there!

Setting up the Company Settings

Jump into "Company Settings", and then "Import / Export". Under "Data Import Settings", select "Hectre", "Hectre with Task" if you are using "Job Type"(s), or "Hectre with Task & Dept" if you are using both "Department"(s) and "Job Type"(s). Select "Save".

Head to "Company Settings", "Payroll Settings". Open "Advanced Settings", and check the "Job Pay Rate" box under "Timesheet Input Format & Preference". If you are using "Hectre with Task" or "Hectre with Task & Dept", enable "Job Type" and "Department" too if you are using the latter option.

Under "Other Settings" down the bottom of the page, disable "Auto Top Up To Meet the Minimum Wage" and "Auto Top Up to Meet the Contract Rate". Hectre will calculate the top up for you, and it calculates differently, and it's better to use their method since they're also providing the piece rate figures. Select "Save."

Setting up the Employee Settings

Navigate to "Employee Settings", "Employee Details".

Firstly, ensure the Full names (i.e., the names you see on the left-hand side) match exactly letter-for-letter as they are set up in Hectre. This is how Hectre knows how to match the data you import, so it has to be exact!

Next, select "Job Pay Rate" under "Other Details". 

This part's a little confusing!

1. What Hectre exports

   • If someone is paid by the hour → the file shows just the hours worked.

   • If someone is paid by Piece Work → the file shows both the Piece Work items and the hours worked.

2. The code it uses

   • Hectre always uses the same code: “Normal Working Hours.”

   • If the person is paid by the hour → this code includes their hourly rate.

   • If the person is paid by Piece Work → this code still shows, but the rate is set to “0”.

3. Why this can be confusing

   • Because everything (hourly pay and Piece Work) shows up under the same code, it’s hard to tell which is which.

   • On payslips, it just looks like hours with no pay rate attached, which confuses people.

4. The easy fix

   • Set up (or ask Hectre to set up) a different code just for Piece Work.

   • Example: Instead of “Normal Working Hours,” make it export as “Piece Rate.”

5. The benefit

   • When the file is imported into Crystal Payroll, it’s instantly clear:

     • “Normal Working Hours” = hourly pay

     • “Piece Rate” = Piece Work pay

   • Payslips look much clearer, and you avoid confusion.

6. Our advice

   • You don’t have to do this, but we strongly recommend it.

   • It makes things way easier now and in the future.

Select "Add".

If you have followed our advice, and set up a dedicated export code for the hours worked to come through as "Piece Rate" when the employees are earning based off Piece Work, then enter "Piece Rate". Set the "Pay Rate" to "0", and then select "Save".

OR If you prefer to leave it as is, then instead enter "Normal Working Hours". Set the "Pay Rate" as "0", and then select "Save".

Setting Up the Payment Items

Navigate to "Process a Pay", "Time & Income", and select "Other Income". Open "Setup Income Items", and then select "more…".

This menu is where you set up your payment items from Hectre to match with Crystal Payroll, such as your "PaidBreak" code. Select "Add", and then enter the item’s name in the "Description" field. Make sure the name is the full name used by Hectre. For example, you would not only enter "PieceWork" unless that really is the name of your code, but "PieceWork - South Branch". Select "Save". Once you are finished adding each code, close all menus so that you are back at the "Time & Income" page.

The default ones to set up are:

"PieceWork"

"TopUp"

"PaidBreak"

But these can be changed in Hectre, so make sure you check and match!

Here's what the default ones would look like:

Setting Up the Leave Settings

Navigate to "Process a Pay", "Leave Pay Rate". Select a piece-rate worker from the left-hand side. 

Ensure "Use Average Daily Pay to calculate a pay" on the left-hand side is enabled, unless you're certain it's possible to calculate the Relevant Daily Pay for these employees when they take FBAPS Leave (Family Violence, Bereavement, Alternative, Public Holiday, and Sick Leave).

Also ensure that "Use Default Hourly Rate for Annual Leave Pay" on the right-hand side is disabled! You should be accruing annual leave based off a genuine working week.

Importing your Hectre File

Your employees are now set up to use piece rates. If you want to import the data from Hectre, you can select "Data Import" on the right-hand side of the "Time & Income" page, select your file, and upload it into Crystal Payroll.