Three pieces work together to get payroll bookings into your general ledger: the Chart of Accounts (which accounts exist), WageType-Accounting-Allocation (which wage type books to which account), and Cost Centers (an optional further breakdown by organizational unit). All three are maintained per payroll and feed the accounting posting document generated on period close.
Chart of Accounts
The Chart of Accounts (account master) is the list of general ledger accounts a payroll can book to. Which chart of accounts a payroll starts with is determined by its accountingData regulation (e.g. a country-specific KMU scheme).
WageType-Accounting-Allocation
Each wage type (salary, bonus, allowance, deduction, etc.) is mapped to a general ledger account and, optionally, a cost center - this mapping is the WageType-Accounting-Allocation. You configure it once per payroll; settings can be changed any time and historical postings are not affected retroactively.
Before a period can close: every wage type actually used in the period needs an account assigned. If one doesn't, accounting document generation fails and the period cannot be closed until the mapping is completed.
Cost Centers
Cost Centers let you break down salary expense, deductions and employer contributions per organizational unit rather than just per employee. They're optional and maintained per payroll - once a payroll uses cost centers, every employee needs one assigned, and postings then appear on the accounting posting document broken down by cost center.
Important: currently, only one cost center can be recorded per employee.
FAQ
Is the chart of accounts shared across payrolls?
No - it's maintained per Payroll.
Can I change an account number later?
Yes - settings can be changed any time; historical postings are not affected retroactively.
What if the account I need isn't in the list yet?
Add it yourself - "Add a lookup value" (see API Endpoints below) extends the chart of accounts with a new account number.
Can I delete an existing account? Which ones exactly?
Only accounts you added yourself (not ones delivered by the base regulation), and only if that account isn't currently used as a debit or credit account on any wage type mapping - deletion is blocked while it's in use.
What happens if a wage type isn't mapped to an account?
Accounting document generation fails and the Payrun Period can't be closed until it's fixed.
Do I need to remap everything if I change an account?
No - only the wage types you actually change; historical postings aren't affected retroactively.
Is Cost Center mapping mandatory?
No - it's optional, both per wage type (in WageType-Accounting-Allocation) and per payroll overall. But once a payroll uses cost centers at all, every employee needs one assigned.
Can I change the debit/credit account for a wage type, and from when does that apply?
Yes, any time. Historical postings already booked aren't affected retroactively.
Where do cost centers appear in outputs?
On the accounting posting document, alongside each booking line - see Outputs.
Can I change cost center data?
Yes (add/update/delete a lookup value).
What do I need to watch out for when deleting a cost center?
Unlike the chart of accounts, the standard product UI doesn't check whether a cost center is still referenced elsewhere before letting you delete it - check yourself first that it isn't in use, to avoid leaving a dangling reference.
Where do I assign a cost center per employee?
Via the employee's own case data (a cost-center case field on their master data), not a separate screen - that's what lets postings be broken down per employee and cost center.
API Endpoints
Chart of Accounts & Cost Centers - maintained through the same generic lookup mechanism as other regulation-driven dropdown lists:
| What | Call |
|---|---|
| Get a regulation's lookup set | GET /tenants/{orgId}/regulations/{regulationId}/lookups/sets |
| Get a payroll's lookup values | GET /tenants/{orgId}/payrolls/{payrollId}/lookups/values |
| Add a lookup value | POST /tenants/{orgId}/regulations/{regulationId}/lookups/{lookupId}/values |
| Update a lookup value | PUT .../lookups/{lookupId}/values/{lookupValueId} |
| Delete a lookup value | DELETE .../lookups/{lookupId}/values/{lookupValueId} |
WageType-Accounting-Allocation:
| What | Call |
|---|---|
| Get wage type account settings | GET /tenants/{orgId}/payrolls/{payrollId}/wagetypemaster/settings |
| Update wage type account settings | PATCH /tenants/{orgId}/payrolls/{payrollId}/wagetypemaster/settings |