Common Payroll Migration Mistakes, an Example, and Sending Your Templates (Malaysia Payroll Guide)
Part of the Payroll Malaysia data migration series for new brioHR clients. This article covers: Common migration mistakes; An example; Send your templates to your IM.
Audience & Scope
Audience: HR and admin teams setting up brioHR for the first time
Module: Payroll Malaysia
Country: Malaysia
Pre-requisites: Implementation kick-off meeting with your Implementation Manager (IM) completed; the Company Payroll Info (MY) and Employee Payroll Data (MY) templates from your IM; Employee List loaded and verified (Profile & Dashboards)
This article is part of the Payroll Malaysia data migration series. It follows the Payroll Malaysia Data Migration Guide (PDF).
Common migration mistakes
| What to avoid | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Uploading only some employees. | The upload replaces all payroll data, so include every employee and keep a copy of your original file. |
| Leaving out resigned employees. | Include anyone who resigned earlier this year, in the template and in your payroll reports. |
| Missing TP3 for new joiners. | Collect TP3 figures for anyone who joined partway through the year before you send your templates. |
| Wrong EPF or SOCSO category. | Check the category tables under "Statutory contributions" in How Statutory Contributions and Payroll History Are Captured in Your Templates (Malaysia Payroll Guide) against each employee's age and citizenship. |
| Child relief overstated. | Only enter children the employee will claim, leaving out any claimed by a working spouse. Enter them in the Employee Payroll Data template, not in Family Details. |
| Names that don't match. | Use the exact payroll center tab name, and the exact pay item name for fixed allowances and deductions. Type dates as YYYY-MM-DD, for example 2026-01-31. |
| Missing payroll history. | Send a report for every completed month this year, covering all employees. |
An example
Company Payroll Info (pay day and calculation)
| Field | Example value |
|---|---|
| Working hours per day | 8 |
| Pay day / pay date | Last day of the month |
| Prorate salary calculation | Fixed number of days: 26 |
| Unpaid leave calculation | All days in current calendar month |
| Overtime calculation | Fixed number of days: 26 |
| Payment cycles per month | 1 |
Employee payroll data (one employee)
| Column | Example value |
|---|---|
| Employee ID | BR001 |
| First name / Last name | Aisyah / binti Rahman |
| Exclude from payroll | No |
| Wage type | Monthly |
| Basic salary | RM 5,000.00 |
| Are you tax resident? / Category | Yes / Normal |
| Marital status | Married spouse is not working |
| Children: under 18 (column 1) | 2 |
| New IC number | 900101-10-1234 |
| Paid in cash | No |
| EPF contribution / Category | Yes / Category A |
| EPF custom rate type | Default (employee 11%, employer 12%/13%) |
| SOCSO | Category 1: Insured against invalidity and employment injury |
| HRDF | 1% Levy |
| EIS | Enabled |
Send your templates to your IM
When both templates are filled in, send them to your IM together with your payroll history reports. If you're unsure how to fill in any field, your IM is happy to help. For how-to steps and screen walkthroughs, see the Payroll Malaysia Starter Guide.
🔗 Well done!
Getting payroll data right the first time is one of the most valuable things you can do for a smooth go-live. Take your time, and ask us anything along the way.
← Previous: How Statutory Contributions and Payroll History Are Captured in Your Templates (Malaysia Payroll Guide)
Next: How to Verify Your Payroll Centers, Pay Items and Statutory Settings (Malaysia Payroll Guide) →
Back to Payroll Data Migration and Verification: Start Here (Malaysia Payroll Guide)
Ownership
By: Aqilah