You connect ShiftTracker to your payroll system by exporting officer timesheet data in a format your payroll software accepts. ShiftTracker produces Xero-compatible CSV, Sage XML, and generic CSV from the Payroll section. The export draws from the officer deployment schedule and timesheet records already built in ShiftTracker, so the figures reconcile with who worked where and when before the file reaches your payroll team. No rekeying. No spreadsheet matching. The connection is the export format you choose in ShiftTracker and the import routine in your payroll system.
Preparing Officer Records for Payroll Export
Before the first export, each officer needs a pay rate and, where applicable, an overtime threshold in their ShiftTracker record. Open the officer profile in Scheduling and add the contract rate. ShiftTracker applies the Working Time Regulations 1998 overtime rule automatically, so the threshold should match your contract or collective agreement. Officers without a pay rate produce blank rows in the export — this is the most common setup issue and is visible in the preview before you run the full export.
Running the First Export to Xero
Open the Payroll section in ShiftTracker. Select the pay period — weekly, fortnightly, or monthly — and choose Xero CSV as the output format. The Xero format maps nominal codes and tax codes automatically. Run the preview to check the first 10 rows: officer names, site names, total hours, and overtime hours should all populate. When the preview looks correct, run the full export and download the file.
In Xero, open Payroll, then Settings, then Import, and select the CSV file. Xero matches employees by name or employee ID. Map the cost centre field to the appropriate Xero cost code for your security or cleaning operation. Process the file. Any unmatched employees appear in a holding list for you to resolve manually — this usually means the name in ShiftTracker differs slightly from the name in Xero.
Running the First Export to Sage
For Sage 50 or Sage 200, select Sage XML as the output format in ShiftTracker. The XML follows the Sage journal import template. In Sage, open the relevant company file, go to Journals, and import the XML. The journal date should match the pay period end date. Sage matches by account codes — ensure the nominal codes in ShiftTracked cost centre fields match those in your Sage chart of accounts before the first import.
Connecting via Generic CSV for Other Payroll Systems
For payroll platforms without a named integration, use the generic CSV export. The file contains every officer, every shift, total hours, and overtime hours across the selected period. Each column is labelled. Import the CSV into your payroll system and map columns to the corresponding fields. Most UK payroll platforms — whether standalone or part of an HRMS — accept a flat CSV with these fields. The key columns are: employee name, employee ID, site, pay period start, pay period end, standard hours, overtime hours, and pay rate.
Linking Payroll Export to Charge Reports
The payroll export and the charge report export share the same timesheet data but serve different recipients. Payroll data goes to your payroll team or service. Charge reports go to your finance team or client billing team. Both pull from the same officer deployment records, so the hours that hit payroll also drive the client invoice. If you run monthly payroll and monthly charge reports, both exports use the same date range and the figures cross-check automatically.
!ShiftTracker payroll integration overview !Officer pay rate configuration in ShiftTracker !Xero payroll import mapping screen
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