Notes:

 

• After you move information from a file, use File Doctor to compact the originating file.
  Note: If you choose to run File Doctor, be sure to have a good backup and select the Compact Good box while running. For more information, see DocLink: How do I use File Doctor to fix my corrupt data files?
• To access terminated employee records in the archive data folder, the archive data folder must contain the Ts.ctl, System.prs, Master.glm, and Master.jcm files, in addition to the Master.prm file. For example, when you need to print reports or move an employee record back to your live data folder. If these files are not already in the data folder, see DocLink: How do I move or copy files using File Tools?.
• Do not move terminated employees before you print W-2s if the employee worked during the year and requires a W-2. If you do move terminated employees before you print W-2s, you can move the employees back to the live data folder to print the W-2.
  • When you move all employees, the original master file is deleted.
  • If you attempt to move an employee into a backup folder that already contains an employee with the same ID, the employee does not move. A message prints on the summary report, and the Timberline System Log file records an error.
• If the data folder contains employee record with custom fields, make the custom fields available in the destination file before you move employees. For additional information, refer to DocLink: How to manage Custom Fields with multiple databases.
• Employees move from the current data folder to the destination data folder. For example, to move employees from an archive data folder to your live data folder, you must open the archive data folder and then select the live data folder as the destination.

Determine the location of the archive folder:

• Create a new data folder for archived employees. For more information, see DocLink: How do I create a new data folder for Payroll?. If you have archived employees in the past, you can skip this step.
• If you are considering moving an employee from one live company folder to another, see DocLink: Should I move an employee?
• When you move employees between data folders, verify that both folders are in the same current period (File, Company Settings, PR Settings, Current Month and Year end date). The period in your archive data folder must match with the current period in your live data folder so that the employee totals are accurate if you later move employees back to the live data folder. If the folders are in different periods, the accumulated totals (year-to-date, prior year, quarter-to-date, prior quarter, month-to-date, and prior month) will not be current for the employees that you move back into the active data folder.
• If your archive data folder has a different period than the live data folder, you can close month (Tasks, Close Month) or close the year (Tasks, Close Year) to update the period in your archive data folder. You can close multiple months at a time by using the drop down to select the month. Select the appropriate link in Related Resources for steps on how to close Payroll periods and for steps on how to move employees back from archive in Payroll. A best recommendation would be to keep the two data files in the same period prior.

Follow the steps below to move employees:

1. Have all users exit the Payroll application.
2. Use File Tools to create a backup of your Payroll files.
3. Go to Tools, Move, Employees.
4. Select a destination folder for the transferred employees and click Open.
   Note: If you use named files, select the source master file you are moving employees from and click Open. Then select the destination master file that you want to move employees to and click Open. To create a new master file, type the new file name in the Destination File.
5. If a Payroll Master file does not exist in the destination folder, click Yes at the prompt to create one.
6. To move employees based on a range or a condition, clear the Move only terminated employees check box.
   Note: Select this check box to move only employees with a termination date. Employees with both a rehire and a termination date only move if the termination date is later than the rehire date (Setup, Employees, Misc Info). An alternative condition to use could be Last Check date is less than or equal to " " (enter a data value). This field is updated with the last check date given to the employee and updated when you post checks.
7. Click Ranges or Conditions to select the employees to move (optional but recommended). Otherwise, all employees’ records move.
8. Click Start.
9. If you print to a file and the Print File Selection window opens, enter a name for the move employee journal and click Save.
10. Review the journal to verify that you moved the correct records.

Notes:

• When archiving your employees, you can use a condition of Last Check Date. This field is populated to the Employee Misc info/Last Check date when you post a check. This field is system maintained. For example, if you use the condition of Last Check Date is less than or equal to 12-31-2020, employees who had not worked for you in 2021 or later would be moved.
• You would also want to include the condition of Last Check Date is not equal to "". This way newly hired employees who had not received a paycheck won't move.