Payroll Totals and Employee Notes (MLS 2026)
The Totals and Notes sections provide two very important management tools within the Payroll system:
•payroll totals tracking
•employee activity documentation
Together, these sections help management:
•review payroll history
•monitor deductions
•verify calculations
•maintain personnel records
•document important employee interactions
Pay Totals
To view payroll totals for employees:
•select the
👉 Totals tab
The browse window lists all employees, while the upper portion of the screen displays payroll totals for the highlighted employee.
These totals are calculated automatically by MLS 2026 during payroll processing.
What The Totals Display
The Totals section may include:
•gross earnings
•taxes withheld
•deductions
•commissions
•vacation pay
•sick pay
•net payroll
•payroll history totals
This provides management with a quick overview of:
•employee compensation history
•payroll activity
•deduction totals
•accumulated earnings
Deduction Display Window
A separate browse/display area lists:
👉 itemized payroll deductions
for the selected employee.
Examples may include:
•insurance deductions
•tax withholding
•garnishments
•retirement deductions
•tool charges
•uniform fees
The display may be scrolled to review all deduction activity.
Important Note About Totals
⚠️ The Totals screen is informational only.
The totals shown:
•cannot be edited directly
•cannot be manually overwritten
•are calculated automatically by the system
If totals appear incorrect:
👉 use payroll adjustments or recalculation procedures rather than attempting manual changes.
Notes
The:
👉 Notes tab
provides a full employee notes and documentation area.
This section should be used to record:
•payroll discussions
•performance notes
•deduction agreements
•disciplinary actions
•compensation changes
•vacation arrangements
•employment history
•other important personnel information
Maintaining detailed notes can help prevent:
•misunderstandings
•payroll disputes
•management confusion
•documentation problems later
Full Word Processing Capability
The Notes section uses the MLS 2026 text editor and includes:
👉 full word processing capability
This allows you to:
•enter detailed notes
•edit previous entries
•maintain organized documentation
•keep long-term employee records
Recommended Note Format
Whenever entering notes:
👉 always include:
•the date
•the time
•the person involved
•the action or discussion
Example:
“04/12/2026 – 2:15 PM – Employee requested additional federal withholding of $25.00 per paycheck beginning next payroll cycle.”
Well-documented notes become extremely valuable when:
•reviewing employee history
•resolving payroll questions
•handling disputes
•preparing evaluations
Saving Notes
⚠️ Important:
After entering or modifying notes:
👉 always select the Save button
or your changes will not be retained.
Why Documentation Matters
Employee payroll and personnel issues are often reviewed:
•months later
•during disputes
•during tax reviews
•during personnel evaluations
Good notes help management:
•remember conversations accurately
•maintain consistency
•protect the business
•avoid misunderstandings
Even brief notes can become extremely valuable later.
Recommended Best Practices
When using Payroll Notes:
•Record important conversations promptly
•Include dates and times consistently
•Keep notes factual and professional
•Document deduction changes clearly
•Save notes immediately after editing
•Review employee notes during evaluations
Recommended Companion Sections
This section works closely with:
•Payroll Overview
•Employee Setup Overview
•Employee Withholding and Deductions
•Employee Pay Methods
•Payroll Processing
•Payroll Reports
•Payroll Troubleshooting
Together, these sections provide a complete employee payroll tracking and documentation workflow within MLS 2026.