Skip to main content

Create Custom Pay Items

While Myaccountant provides a set of default pay items, your business may require custom pay items to handle specific earnings, deductions, or entitlements that are unique to your industry or workplace agreements.

When to Create Custom Pay Items​

  • Your award or enterprise agreement requires specific allowance types (e.g. first aid allowance, on-call allowance).
  • You need to track a particular deduction (e.g. tool hire, uniform costs, novated lease).
  • You offer additional leave types beyond the standard entitlements (e.g. study leave, volunteer leave).
  • You need separate pay items for different overtime rates (e.g. time-and-a-half, double-time).

Creating a Custom Earnings Pay Item​

  1. Navigate to Payroll > Pay Items and click Add Pay Item.
  2. Select Earnings as the type.
  3. Enter a descriptive name (e.g. "Saturday Overtime - Double Time").
  4. Set the calculation type to Hours x Rate and configure the default rate multiplier (e.g. 2.0 for double time).
  5. Under Tax Settings, ensure PAYG withholding applies.
  6. Under Super Settings, set whether the item is OTE (Ordinary Time Earnings). Overtime is generally not OTE unless your award states otherwise.
  7. Select the appropriate ATO reporting category.
  8. Click Save.

Creating a Custom Deduction Pay Item​

  1. Click Add Pay Item and select Deduction.
  2. Enter a name (e.g. "Novated Lease - Pre-Tax").
  3. Set the calculation type — typically Fixed Amount per pay period.
  4. Configure whether the deduction is pre-tax or post-tax.
  5. Set super treatment (pre-tax deductions may reduce OTE).
  6. Click Save.

Assigning Custom Pay Items to Employees​

After creating a custom pay item, assign it to relevant employees:

  1. Go to Payroll > Employees and select the employee.
  2. Open the Pay Items tab.
  3. Click Add and select the custom pay item.
  4. Enter the default value (hours, rate, or amount).
  5. Click Save.