Integration Implementation Best Practices
Leverage the Paylocity API to integrate Paylocity data with company systems.
Customers and Partners can leverage the Paylocity API to address various business needs by integrating their application, platform, service, or system with Paylocity. This article provides reference to insights and best practices for implementing integrations for common business needs using Paylocity APIs.
Business Needs
Use Paylocity to integrate with Retirement Plan Record Keepers, Benefits Administration, Time Keeping and Point Of Sale (POS), Applicant Tracking, Active Directory, HRIS or HCM, ERP, and Workers' Compensation.
Retirement Plan Record Keeper
As a Retirement Plan Record Keeper there are generally three things needed to facilitate an integration.
- Maintenance of in-sync employee data, allowing users to know when an employee has a change, such as a status change that determines plan eligibility
- Retrieval of processed payroll information to know contribution, loan, and match totals
- Communication of updates to deferral and loan amounts, ensuring correct amounts deduct from employee checks in Paylocity
References
- Utilize Employee APIs and Webhooks to Maintain Synced Database to maintain a near real-time synced employee database.
- Use Pay Statements to Retrieve Processed Totals via API and correctly aggregate payroll amounts. Knowledge of which earning and deduction codes are used in payroll is necessary.
- Build Lookup Values and List Value Schemas via API to create mappings for the necessary deductions and earnings codes used to group payroll totals.
- Utilize Employee Earnings and Deductions Endpoint to send updates when an employee changes deferral amounts or takes out a loan.
Benefit Administration System
As a Benefit Administration System provider, there are two requirements typically needed to facilitate integrations.
- Maintenance of in-sync employee data, ensuring the benefits administration system captures any changes made in Paylocity
- Maintenance of up-to-date benefit deduction amounts, in the event of employee life changes or open enrollment
References
- Utilize Employee APIs and Webhooks to Maintain Synced Database to keep employee data in sync with Paylocity.
- Build Lookup Values and List Value Schemas via API in conjunction with the Employee APIs and Webhooks to create mappings for the necessary deduction codes associated with each benefit.
- Utilize Employee Earnings and Deductions Endpoint to send updates when there are benefit election changes.
Time Keeping and Point Of Sale Systems
The most common business needs associated with Time Keeping and Point of Sale (POS) systems are:
- Maintenance of in-sync employee data
- Communication of time entries for payroll processing
References
- Utilize Employee APIs and Webhooks to Maintain Synced Database details how to keep employee data in sync with Paylocity.
- Utilize Time Entry Information to Create a Payroll Batch via API provides instructions for sending time entry information to Paylocity to create a payroll batch.
- Build Lookup Values and List Value Schemas via API details how to create mappings for the necessary deduction and earning codes to be sent in the import file for payroll.
Applicant Tracking System
The business need associated with Applicant Tracking Systems is typically to send employee data to either Onboarding or to directly into HR & Payroll.
Understanding which Paylocity application is the intended destination of the employee data, whether the ATS system has all the required information, and the desired process for the employee and company administrator helps to determine which of the available options is best.
Reference
Create an Employee in Paylocity via API for more information.
Active Directory
An Active Directory of employee data that remains in sync with Paylocity can be achieved via the Paylocity API. The API allows for customization of this integration as needed to fit business needs. The data available via the Employee API endpoint allows for the use of several options as to where data is stored in Paylocity and how it is obtained via the API to send to an Active Directory.
Reference
Utilize Employee APIs and Webhooks to Maintain Synced Database for more information.
HRIS or HCM Application
A common business need related to other HCM applications or HRIS use cases is to utilize the third-party system as the βsource of truthβ for employee data and use Paylocity for Payroll. In this scenario, the third-party system will send employee data to HR & Payroll to create the Employee records.
When the third-party system is the source of truth, employees/users should not make updates directly within Paylocity. Paylocity Security Roles can be updated to prevent the users from making changes by granting them a View Only access.
Employee records can be created within Paylocity HR & Payroll via Employee Staging or Add new employee. Employee records can also be sent to Onboarding.
Understanding which Paylocity application is the intended destination, which third party application is being used, whether the third-party system has all required information, and the desired process for the employee and administrator, helps determine which option to use.
Reference
Create an Employee in Paylocity via API for more information.
ERP System
Integrations with ERP systems allow employee demographic data and general ledger information to synchronize between Paylocity and the third-party system. Using the Employee API endpoint, the user data is automatically sent to the third-party system as users are added, updated, or terminated within Paylocity. The PayStatements Payroll Summary API endpoint can be used to send relevant employee pay data to the ERP system.
References
- Utilize Employee APIs and Webhooks to Maintain Synced Database for more information.
- Use Pay Statements to Retrieve Processed Totals via API for more information.
Workers Compensation
There are two primary needs for a Workers Comp integration.
- Maintenance of in-sync employee data (including assigned Workers Comp Codes)
- Obtaining processed payroll information that will help to determine premium amounts
References
- Utilize Employee APIs and Webhooks to Maintain Synced Database for more information.
- Use Pay Statements to Retrieve Processed Totals via API for more information.
Create Users in Third-Party Applications
Paylocity API can assist with maintaining an updated list of employees to facilitate user creation in a third-party application such as a help ticket system. As users are added to Paylocity, the user data automatically sends to the third-party system to create new users. The Employee API endpoint allows for retrieval of relevant employee data via API to send to the third-party application.
Reference
Utilize Employee APIs and Webhooks to Maintain Synced Database for more information.
Summarize Payroll Information for Reporting
The Paylocity API can assist with the need to obtain employee level processed payroll details for facilitating actions such as employment and wage verification and Work Opportunity Tax Credit reporting. Using the PayStatements Payroll Summary API endpoint, relevant employee pay data can send from Paylocity to the third-party system.
Reference
Use Pay Statements to Retrieve Processed Totals via API for more information.
Document Management
The Document Management API can aid third-party providers in obtaining employee documents such as I-9 forms, licenses, or certifications. The Documents Management API enables third-party software providers to streamline the retrieval of documents from Paylocity. Users can also employ the API to retrieve documents from HR & Payroll and add them to another internal system.
Reference
Utilize Document Management API for more information.
Synced Database of Employee Data
The need to keep an updated list of employees in sync with a third-party application such as a help ticket system is commonly achieved via the Paylocity API. When users are added, updated, or terminated in Paylocity, the user data is automatically sent to the third-party system to create new users, update current users, or disable terminated users. The Employee API endpoint allows users to obtain relevant employee data via API to send to the third-party application.
Reference
Utilize Employee APIs and Webhooks to Maintain Synced Database for more information.
Custom Reporting
Use available API data to create custom reports or databases needed for company level reporting on topics such as pay rates, additional rates, ACA, or compliance data.
Example
Employeesβ current status and department/position information can be used to create a tenure report.
Reference
Custom Reporting via API for more information.
Company Specific Software and System Needs
Keep employee data in sync, know company level configurations, and retrieve Custom Fields populated for employees.
Examples
- Create databases with employee T-shirt sizes or favorite restaurants to help customize the new employee experience.
- Use custom fields to map specific badge numbers or pay policies in order to send data from Paylocity to a third-party timekeeping system.
The Custom Fields endpoint allows users to get all company codes established at the company level. The Employee Staging and the Employee API endpoints allow users to add, update, or retrieve employee information in the custom fields.
Updated 6 months ago