1) Inconsistent approach to the payroll process leading to breach of policy.
-Have relevant employees read and are they aware of all payroll policies?
-Do relevant employees comply with all payroll policies?
2) Lack of appropriate segregation of duties within the payroll process resulting to undetected inappropriate activity.
- Are Payroll duties properly segregated and is segregation of duties properly reflected in the ERP system such that the users who perform the payroll run are different from the users who review the payroll?
3) Employee details are incorrectly updated in the system resulting to inaccurate computation of the net pay.
- Are employee details for joiners, movers, and leavers complete, accurate and approved before being updated in the payroll system?
_ Is access to maintain and make changes to HR master data restricted to authorised HR personnel?
- Do direct line managers promptly notify the site HR/IT/Payroll Department when changes are required to an employees status, pay or access, i.e., in relation to joiners, movers and leavers and particulary for disciplinary based terminations?
5)Unauthorised creation of employee details thereby creating fictitous payments to non-existing employees.
- Is all hiring of temporary workers approved upfront in line with policy?
-Is there a monthly review conducted on all changes to payroll master data?
6) Timecards do not completely and correctly summarize time worked.
- Are all time and attendance records appropriately approved by line managers according to the employees’ policy before being input into the payroll system?
- Are there appropriate controls in place to ensure that hours worked are accurately and completely entered into the payroll system?
7) Payroll expenses including deductions are incorrectly computed.
- Is a reconciliation process performed to ensure the completeness of payroll postings?
- Are there controls in place to ensure that the payroll system is kept up to date with latest changes in legislation and that correct deductions are made?
8) Duplicate/fictitious payroll disbursements are made resulting to financial loss to the company.
- Are there procedures in place to ensure that the correct payments are sent to the correct employees?
- Are there procedures in place to ensure that access to the payment instructions file is restricted to authorised personnel only?