Automatic creation of after-the-fact payroll journal

• US 8,320,656 B1
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Bhatt, Patanjali
• Primary Examiner(s): AZARIAN, SEYED H
• Application Number:
  US12/848,079
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 382100-103, 382112-114, 382135-140, 382/155, 382/162, 382/168, 382/173, 382/181, 382186-189, 382/193, 382/219, 382/232, 382/254, 382/274, 382/276, 382/287, 382/305, 382/312, 382318-321, 235/440, 235/379, 705/37, 705/35, 705/38, 706/50
• US Class Current: 382/138
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A method for creating an after-the-fact (ATF) payroll journal, including identifying a payroll check cashed at a financial institution, where the payroll check is issued to an employee during a payroll period for payment via a financial institution, obtaining, using a processor of a computer system, an electronic image associated with the payroll check, extracting, using the processor, payroll check information from the electronic image, validating, using the processor, the payroll check information based on a pre-determined criterion, where the payroll check information includes a payee name, a check date, and a check amount, and generating, using the processor, an entry of the ATF payroll journal from the payroll check information based on a pre-determined payroll rule, where the entry includes an amount of tax withholding of the employee for the payroll period.

Claims

1. A method for creating an after-the-fact (ATF) payroll journal, comprising:

identifying a payroll check cashed at a financial institution, wherein the payroll check is issued to an employee during a payroll period for payment via a financial institution;

determining whether payroll check information is available from a computer file comprising an entry corresponding to the payroll check;

extracting the payroll check information from the computer file when the payroll check information is available from the computer file;

obtaining, by a processor of a computer system and when the payroll check information is not available from the computer file, an electronic image associated with the payroll check;

extracting, by the processor and when the payroll check information is not available from the computer file, the payroll check information from the electronic image;

validating, using the processor, the payroll check information based on a pre-determined criterion, wherein the payroll check information comprises a payee name, a check date, and a check amount; and

generating, using the processor, an entry of the ATF payroll journal from the payroll check information based on a pre-determined payroll rule,

wherein the entry comprises an amount of tax withholding of the employee for the payroll period.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein obtaining the electronic image associated with the payroll check comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of obtaining a cashed payroll check image of the payroll check from a computer of the financial institution, obtaining the cashed payroll check image by scanning the cashed payroll check, obtaining a paystub image by scanning a paystub of the payroll check, and obtaining a payment journal image by scanning a payment journal comprising a written entry corresponding to the payroll check, and

wherein extracting the payroll check information from the electronic image comprises extracting, using optical scanning, the payee name, the check date, and the check amount from at least one selected from a group consisting of the cashed payroll check image, the paystub image, and the payment journal image.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

identifying the employee by comparing the payee name to an employee list;

obtaining a profile of the employee in response to identifying the employee;

identifying the payroll period based on the check date;

calculating the amount of tax withholding of the employee for the payroll period based on the check amount and the profile of the employee;

calculating an amount of payroll tax based at least on the amount of tax withholding of the employee; and

facilitating payment of the payroll tax.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein facilitating payment of the payroll tax comprises:

generating a payroll tax electronic check for automatic payroll tax payment based on the amount of the payroll tax; and

submitting the payroll tax electronic check to a tax authority.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein validating the payroll check information based on the pre-determined criterion comprises:

comparing the payee name to an employee list to generate a comparison;

validating the payroll check information in response to the comparison indicating no discrepancy; and

presenting the comparison to a user for manual reconciliation when the comparison indicates a discrepancy,

wherein the entry of the ATF payroll journal is generated in response to at least one selected from a group consisting of validating the payroll check information and completion of the manual reconciliation.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein validating the payroll check information based on the pre-determined criterion comprises:

comparing the check date to a payroll period to generate a comparison;

validating the payroll check information in response to the comparison indicating no discrepancy; and

presenting the comparison to a user for manual reconciliation when the comparison indicates a discrepancy,

wherein the entry of the ATF payroll journal is generated in response to at least one selected from a group consisting of validating the payroll check information and completion of the manual reconciliation.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein validating the payroll check information based on the pre-determined criterion comprises:

comparing a legal amount of the check amount and a courtesy amount of the check amount to generate a comparison;

validating the payroll check information in response to the comparison indicating no discrepancy; and

presenting the comparison to a user for manual reconciliation when the comparison indicates a discrepancy,

wherein the entry of the ATF payroll journal is generated in response to at least one selected from a group consisting of validating the payroll check information and completion of the manual reconciliation.

8. The method of claim 2,

wherein the payroll check information further comprises a routing number of the financial institution, and

wherein validating the payroll check information based on the pre-determined criterion further comprises:

comparing the routing number to a profile of the financial institution to generate a comparison;

validating the payroll check information further in response to the comparison indicating no discrepancy; and

presenting the fourth comparison to the user for manual reconciliation when the comparison indicates a discrepancy,

wherein the entry of the ATF payroll journal is generated in response to at least one selected from a group consisting of validating the payroll check information and completion of the manual reconciliation.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

annotating the entry of the ATF payroll journal based on at least one selected from a group consisting of a check number of the payroll check, the electronic image of the payroll check, and check memo of the payroll check,

wherein the payroll check information further comprises the check number and the check memo.

10. A system for creating an after-the-fact (ATF) payroll journal, comprising:

a memory storing instructions;

a processor operatively coupled to the memory;

a financial management application (FMA) executing on the processor and configured to manage payroll data of an employer;

an after-the-fact (ATF) payroll analyzer executing on the processor configured to execute instructions to;

receive, from a user representing the employer, information identifying a payroll check issued to an employee of the employer during a payroll period for payment via a financial institution,

determine whether payroll check information is available from a computer file comprising an entry corresponding to the payroll check;

extract the payroll check information from the computer file when the payroll check information is available from the computer file;

obtain, when the payroll check information is not available from the computer file, an electronic image associated with the payroll check,

extract, when the payroll check information is not available from the computer file, the payroll check information from the electronic image, and

validate the payroll check information based on a pre-determined criterion, wherein the payroll check information comprises a payee name, a check date, and a check amount;

an ATF payroll generator executing on the processor configured to execute instructions to;

generate an entry of the ATF payroll journal from the payroll check information based on a pre-determined payroll rule, wherein the entry comprises an amount of tax withholding of the employee during the payroll period, and

transmit the ATF payroll journal to the FMA as payroll data; and

a repository configured to store the electronic image, the payroll check information, and the ATF payroll journal.

11. The system of claim 10,

wherein obtaining the electronic image associated with the payroll check comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of obtaining a cashed payroll check image of the payroll check from a computer of the financial institution, obtaining the cashed payroll check image by scanning the cashed payroll check, obtaining a paystub image by scanning a paystub of the payroll check, and obtaining a payment journal image by scanning a payment journal comprising a written entry corresponding to the payroll check, and wherein extracting the payroll check information from the electronic image comprises extracting, using optical scanning, the payee name, the check date, and the check amount from at least one selected from a group consisting of the cashed payroll check image, the paystub image, and the payment journal image.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the ATF payroll generator is further configured to execute instructions to:

identify the employee by comparing the payee name to an employee list;

obtain a profile of the employee in response to identifying the employee;

identify the payroll period based on the check date;

calculate the amount of tax withholding of the employee for the payroll period based on the check amount and the profile of the employee;

calculate an amount of payroll tax based at least on the amount of tax withholding of the employee; and

facilitate payment of the payroll tax.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein facilitating payment of the payroll tax comprises:

generating a payroll tax electronic check for automatic payroll tax payment based on the amount of the payroll tax; and

submitting the payroll tax electronic check to a tax authority.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the ATF payroll generator is further configured to execute instructions to:

annotate the entry of the ATF payroll journal based on at least one selected from a group consisting of a check number of the payroll check, the electronic image of the payroll check, and check memo of the payroll check,

wherein the payroll check information further comprises the check number and the check memo.

15. Computer readable storage medium storing instructions for creating an after-the-fact (ATF) payroll journal, the instructions when executed by a computer comprising functionality to:

identify a payroll check cashed at a financial institution, wherein the payroll check is issued to an employee during a payroll period for payment via a financial institution;

determine whether payroll check information is available from a computer file comprising an entry corresponding to the payroll check;

extract the payroll check information from the computer file when the payroll check information is available from the computer file;

obtain, when the payroll check information is not available from the computer file, an electronic image associated with the payroll check;

extract, when the payroll check information is not available from the computer file, the payroll check information from the electronic image;

validate the payroll check information based on a pre-determined criterion, wherein the payroll check information comprises a payee name, a check date, and a check amount; and

generate an entry of the ATF payroll journal from the payroll check information based on a pre-determined payroll rule,

wherein the entry comprises an amount of tax withholding of the employee for the payroll period.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15,

wherein obtaining the electronic image associated with the payroll check comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of obtaining a cashed payroll check image of the payroll check from a computer of the financial institution, obtaining the cashed payroll check image by scanning the cashed payroll check, obtaining a paystub image by scanning a paystub of the payroll check, and obtaining a payment journal image by scanning a payment journal comprising a written entry corresponding to the payroll check, and

wherein extracting the payroll check information from the electronic image comprises extracting, using optical scanning, the payee name, the check date, and the check amount from at least one selected from a group consisting of the cashed payroll check image, the paystub image, and the payment journal image.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, the instruction when executed by the computer further comprising functionality to:

identify the employee by comparing the payee name to an employee list;

obtain a profile of the employee in response to identifying the employee;

identify the payroll period based on the check date;

calculate the amount of tax withholding of the employee for the payroll period based on the check amount and the profile of the employee;

calculate an amount of payroll tax based at least on the amount of tax withholding of the employee; and

facilitate payment of the payroll tax.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein facilitating payment of the payroll tax comprises:

generating a payroll tax electronic check for automatic payroll tax payment based on the amount of the payroll tax; and

submitting the payroll tax electronic check to a tax authority.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein validating the payroll check information based on the pre-determined criterion comprises:

comparing the payee name to an employee list to generate a comparison;

validating the payroll check information in response to the comparison indicating no discrepancy; and

presenting the comparison to a user for manual reconciliation when the comparison indicates a discrepancy,

wherein the entry of the ATF payroll journal is generated in response to at least one selected from a group consisting of validating the payroll check information and completion of the manual reconciliation.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein validating the payroll check information based on the pre-determined criterion comprises:

comparing the check date to a payroll period to generate a comparison;

validating the payroll check information in response to the comparison indicating no discrepancy; and

presenting the comparison to a user for manual reconciliation when the comparison indicates a discrepancy,

wherein the entry of the ATF payroll journal is generated in response to at least one selected from a group consisting of validating the payroll check information and completion of the manual reconciliation.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein validating the payroll check information based on the pre-determined criterion comprises:

comparing a legal amount of the check amount and a courtesy amount of the check amount to generate a comparison;

validating the payroll check information in response to the comparison indicating no discrepancy; and

presenting the comparison to a user for manual reconciliation when the comparison indicates a discrepancy,

wherein the entry of the ATF payroll journal is generated in response to at least one selected from a group consisting of validating the payroll check information and completion of the manual reconciliation.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16,

wherein the payroll check information further comprises a routing number of the financial institution, and

wherein validating the payroll check information based on the pre-determined criterion further comprises:

comparing the routing number to a profile of the financial institution to generate a comparison;

validating the payroll check information further in response to the comparison indicating no discrepancy; and

presenting the fourth comparison to the user for manual reconciliation when the comparison indicates a discrepancy,

wherein the entry of the ATF payroll journal is generated in response to at least one selected from a group consisting of validating the payroll check information and completion of the manual reconciliation.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, the instruction when executed by the computer further comprising functionality to:

annotate the entry of the ATF payroll journal based on at least one selected from a group consisting of a check number of the payroll check, the electronic image of the payroll check, and check memo of the payroll check,

wherein the payroll check information further comprises the check number and the check memo.