Common Payroll Migration Mistakes, an Example, and Sending Your Templates (Singapore Payroll Guide)
Part of the Payroll Singapore 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 Singapore
Country: Singapore
Pre-requisites: Implementation kick-off meeting with your Implementation Manager (IM) completed; the Company Payroll Info (SG) and Employee Payroll Data (SG) templates from your IM; Employee List loaded and verified (Profile & Dashboards)
This article is part of the Payroll Singapore data migration series. It follows the Payroll Singapore Data Migration Guide (PDF).
Common migration mistakes
| What goes wrong | Why it happens | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Employee payroll data overwrites everyone, not just the employees being updated. | The upload is a full replace, not a merge. | Always upload the complete, current file for all employees, and keep a copy of your original. |
| Resigned employees are missing. | The file only lists current employees. | Include employees who resigned earlier this year. |
| A row doesn't attach to the right employee. | The name, Employee ID or Staff ID doesn't match the Employee List. | Copy names and IDs straight from your Employee List so they match exactly. |
| Overtime isn't calculated. | The overtime calculation formula was left blank. | Agree the overtime formula with your IM before submitting. |
| CPF amounts look wrong. | The resident category is wrong, or the PR effective date is missing for a PR. | Check the resident category for every employee, and fill in the PR effective date for all PRs. |
| A community fund deduction is missing or wrong. | The toggle doesn't match the employee's community or declaration. | Set Enabled only for the fund that applies, and Non related for the rest. |
| SDL or FWL is missing or wrong. | These are set for each employee, and were left as Non related. | Check SDL for everyone it applies to, and FWL for work permit holders. |
| Payroll history reports are missing or incomplete. | Reports for some completed months weren't sent, or only some employees were included. | Send a report for every completed month this year, covering all employees, including those who resigned. |
| A fixed allowance or deduction is missing from payroll. | The Item name doesn't match what you and your IM agreed for that item. | Use the same item name every time, and check it against what you gave your IM. |
| Dates are rejected or read wrongly. | Dates in the Fixed Allowance/Deduction tab weren't entered as YYYY-MM-DD. | Type every date as YYYY-MM-DD, for example 2026-01-31. |
| Bank file doesn't match the bank's format. | The bank file format or DBS organisation ID wasn't confirmed. | Confirm both with your IM before submitting the company template. |
An example
Company Payroll Info (pay day and calculation)
| Field | Example value |
|---|---|
| Pay day | Last day of the month |
| Number of working days weekly | 5 (Mon to Fri) |
| Hours per day | 8 |
| Overtime calculation formula | As agreed with your IM |
Employee payroll data (one employee)
| Field | Example value |
|---|---|
| Employee ID | SG001 |
| First name / Last name | Mei Ling / Tan |
| Double cycle | No |
| Wage type | Monthly |
| Basic salary (SGD) | 4,500.00 |
| ID type / ID number | NRIC / S1234567D |
| Resident category | Singapore Citizen |
| Paid in cash | No |
| Bank account | DBS |
| CPF | Enabled |
| CDAC / ECF / MBMF / SINDA | Enabled / Non related / Non related / Non related |
| SDL / FWL | Enabled / Non related |
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 Singapore 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 (Singapore Payroll Guide)
Next: How to Verify Your Payroll Centers, Pay Items and Statutory Settings (Singapore Payroll Guide) →
Back to Payroll Data Migration and Verification: Start Here (Singapore Payroll Guide)
Ownership
By: Aqilah