Creating a pay rule is only the first step, as a rule does not affect anyone’s timesheets until it is assigned to them. This article walks you through the different ways to apply existing pay rules to employees - either by adding them to a payroll policy or by assigning them directly to individual employees. If you haven't yet set up any rules and policies, start with Setting Up Overtime & Pay Rules in Connecteam first.
How to Add an Existing Pay Rule to a Policy
Pay rules take effect through policies. Once a rule exists, add it to the relevant payroll policy so it applies to everyone assigned to that policy.
To add an existing pay rule to a policy, follow these steps:
Open the Policies tab within your Company Policies, in the Overtime & Pay Rules section.
Click on the three dots of the relevant payroll policy and select Edit policy.
Add the existing pay rule or rules to the policy.
Click Save.
Every employee assigned to that policy now has the added rule applied automatically on their timesheet.
💡 Tip: If you do not see the rule you want, it may not have been created yet. Create it first in the Manage Pay Rules tab, then return to add it to the policy.
How to Apply a Rule to Individual Employees
You can also assign a rule, directly from the employee’s profile, which is useful for small teams, or unique exceptions.
To apply a pay rule to an individual employee, follow these steps:
Open the Users tab from the left sidebar.
Select the employee you want to assign.
Open the Employment tab on their profile.
In the Overtime & Pay Rules section, click Add rules.
Choose "Assign specific rules" from the left toggle.
Click on Add rules, and select the rule that contains the rule that you want to apply.
Choose the effective date, then save. The effective date is when the policy begins. By default it suggests the users start of employment date, but you can also select a custom date.
Click Confirm to save the rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my pay rule not affecting anyone’s timesheet?
A pay rule only takes effect after it has been assigned to employees. You can do this either by adding the rule to a payroll policy and assigning that policy to employees, or by assigning the rule directly to individual employees. Check that the rule has been assigned using one of these methods and that the correct employees are included.
Do I need to create a new rule for each policy?
No. A rule is created once and can be added to any number of policies. This article covers applying existing rules, not creating them.
Can one employee have more than one pay rule?
Yes. A policy can contain several rules, and an employee assigned to that policy has all of its rules applied. To combine different rules for different people, build policies that group the rules each team needs.
What effective date should I choose?
The effective date is when the policy starts applying to the assigned employees. Choose the date you want the rules to begin affecting timesheets. Assigning a policy with an earlier effective date than a currently assigned policy replaces the existing assignment.
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