Writing Formulas for Element Skip Rules
If your payroll policies require periodic or conditional processing of an element, you can write a formula to define when the run should process the element and when it should skip it. For example, your formula could specify:
- process the Union Fees element every three periods, or
- process the Union Fees element every run unless the Union_Fees_Paid balance is greater than 10 000.
You can associate only one element skip rule formula with each element. You must write and validate the formula before you define the element so that you can select the formula from a list on the Element window.
To write a formula defining a skip rule:
1. Select formula type Element Skip in the Formulas window.
2. Use as many input values as you require. The formula must set and return a local variable of type text, and this variable must be called skip_flag.
If the returned value of this variable begins with the letter y (such as 'Yes'), all processing for the element is skipped. Otherwise the element processes as normal.
The following example of a skip rule formula defines that the Union Fees element is not processed if the Union_Fees_Paid balance is greater than 10 000:
IF Union_Fees_Paid > 10000
THEN
skip_flag = 'yes'
ELSE
skip_flag = 'no'
RETURN skip_flag
