Datatech expands Support/Training pages

Fresno, California – In an effort to help our clients grow in their learning and make the most of their software purchase, we continue to expand and reorganize the Support/Training videos pages of our website. Supporting clients with our friendly Support and Training staff on the phone, online and in person is an extremely important part our overall mission to provide leading software solutions in ag cost-accounting, payroll, inventory and sales and excellent customer service.

Time is money and we strive to help clients simplify their daily cost accounting and payroll entry to save hours in the workday. Datatech client Cindy Kramer from Farmex and Sundance Orchards in Sanger, California says Datatech has given them their time back, “The more we explore it(Datatech Software), the more we are freed up from what we were doing before.” Farmex and Sundance made the jump from doing their accounting, inventory and sales by hand with spreadsheets to Datatech’s ‘The Shipper’s Office’ software with payroll, “Following the information for payables and receivables on the office side is so much easier than it was for the employees. I recommend it to anybody. For us it was a quantum leap!”

To aid Farmex and Sundance Orchards and all our clients, Datatech’s Support/Training videos have now been re-organized into sections such as ‘Payroll’; ‘Webinar Training’; ‘Accounts Payable’ and ‘Human Resource Management.’ These sections include training videos for refreshers on initial training with Datatech’s Training Manager, Hannah Tarrats, and many topics to help clients refresh their learning for various training in quarterly and annual reporting. Knowledge is power.

The new ‘Accounts Payable’ section includes the first webinar training video on ‘Bank Reconcilement Training’ for new clients and those that would like a refresher for their monthly reconciliation process. Clients will now also find a new training video on a recent software update that allows for creating new rules for piece work ‘break’ line items in Datatech’s payroll software. Just another way Datatech is being responsive to your needs and requests.

These training videos are available 24/7, 365 days a year on DatatechAg.com/Support. 

Ready? Get set! Learn! It’s that easy.

Datatech software clients are found across America as farmers, growers, labor contractors and produce packers, shippers and brokers; and they’ve been enjoying time savings and greater efficiency with their daily payroll, cost accounting, real time inventory and sales solutions since 1980.

Handling returned safe harbor checks

Update 12/6/2016: The DIR has released additional details on the following page:  Instructions for Payments to the Unpaid Wage Fund.  We are reviewing the Form 40 that the DIR is requesting employers to use and will publish an update when the program has been modified to generate a file in this layout.  We will post more information when this update is ready to download.

The latest update available via the Check for Updates option includes a new report to use when forwarding Safe Harbor funds to the state for employees that you are unable to locate.  The Returned Check Report will list all of the employees, their addresses, social security number, and net payment amounts (after taxes are deducted) for each employee that you were unable to locate.

When handling safe harbor payments that are returned to you as undeliverable, there are several specific things that you should do and several things you should not do.

Do:

When a check is returned, you should make further attempts to locate the employee, including using “people locator” services as per the law.

If you are unable to locate the employee, check the Check Returned box on the Safe Harbor Employee window.  Do not check this box before you are sure that you cannot locate the employee.  This checkbox determines whether or not the employee and the payment amount will appear on the Returned Check Report.

If you check this box and later the employee does receive the check (for instance, the employee shows up in person to collect the Safe Harbor payment), then you should make sure the Check Returned box is unchecked.

Do not:

Void the check using the Void Payroll Check option.  Safe Harbor payments are wages that must be reported on the quarterly report and W-2, even if the employee has not received them.  If you are unable to locate an employee, they are treated the same as uncollected wages (except there is a specific procedure for forwarding uncollected Safe Harbor wages to the state).

Before issuing the check to the state:

Determine if any safe harbor checks are outstanding (have not cleared on a bank statement) and have not been returned to you.  If you have any checks that have not been returned and have not cleared your bank account, you may need to leave these checks off of the returned checks report and handle them as regular uncollected wages if they end up being returned after the Dec 15th deadline.

(You may want to verify with the state whether or not they will accept undeliverable Safe Harbor payments that are returned to you after the Dec 15th deadline.  Our current understanding is that the state will not accept Safe Harbor payments that you are unable to deliver after Dec 15th.)

How to issue the check to the state:

1. Review the instructions on the DIR’s FAQ for handling Safe Harbor payments.  (See the second to the last question.)
2. Run the Returned Checks Report.  This will list all of the employees that have the Check Returned box checked and provide a total for you to issue a check to the DIR.
3. Use the Returned Checks Report to generate an electronic copy.  The DIR has not specified what electronic formats are acceptable.  The program can generate a PDF, XLS or CSV file.  (The DIR has also not specified what media you should use to submit the electronic copy.)  Enter a filename for the type of electronic copy that you want to generate.
4. Post a journal entry to debit your cash in bank account for the amount of the returned checks.  Offset this with a credit to a liability account or to the suspense account.
5. Issue a direct expense check payable to “INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS UNPAID WAGE FUND” posted to the liability or suspense account for the total amount of checks that were returned/undeliverable.
6. Determine the amount of the administrative fee.  Issue a second direct expense check for this amount.
7. Send all of this (checks, printed and electronic copies of reports) to the DIR according to the directions provided on the FAQ.

New I-9 form released by Immigration Services

Fresno, Calif.-  As previously reported here at Datatech, the United States Customs and Immigration Services or USCIS has released the new Form I-9 on their website. The update is designed to make it easier for employee eligibility verification on a computer.

By January 22, 2017, employers must use only the new version, dated 11/14/2016. Until then, they can continue to use the version dated 03/08/2013 or the new version.

Among the changes in the new version, Section 1 asks for “other last names used” rather than “other names used,” and streamlines certification for certain foreign nationals.

Harvesting time

Other changes include:

• The addition of prompts to ensure information is entered correctly.
• The ability to enter multiple preparers and translators.
• A dedicated area for including additional information rather than having to add it in the margins.
• A supplemental page for the preparer/translator.

The instructions have been separated from the form, in line with other USCIS forms, and include specific instructions for completing each field.

The revised Form I-9 is also easier to complete on a computer. Enhancements include drop-down lists and calendars for filling in dates, on-screen instructions for each field, easy access to the full instructions, and an option to clear the form and start over. When the employer prints the completed form, a quick response (QR) code is automatically generated, which can be read by most QR readers.

Datatech Training Manager, Hannah Tarrats says, “While the new I-9 is a fill in form, this is in the instructions:

‘Employers and employees may choose to complete any or all sections of the form on paper or using a computer, or a

combination of both. Forms I-9 obtained from the USCIS website are not considered electronic Forms I-9 under DHS

regulations and, therefore, cannot be electronically signed. Therefore, regardless of the method you used to enter information

into each field, you must print a hard copy of the form, then sign and date the hard copy by hand where required.’

You’ll note that there are links at the top of the online form to go to the instructions, to start over or print the document. So, a way you can use the online form is to have a computer set up where employees type their information in, then print and sign.”

Links:

The USCIS website I-9 form.

The USCIS Website instructions for the new I-9.

Form I-9 requirements were established in November 1986 when Congress passed the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA). IRCA prohibits employers from hiring people, including U.S. citizens, for employment in the United States without verifying their identity and employment authorization on Form I-9.