Payroll Practice and Management Overview and Outline - excelsior.edu Center for Professional Development

** For those who successfully pass the CPP exam, 15 college level credit hours can be transferred into an Excelsior College undergraduate degree program.

Welcome to Payroll Practice and Management: PayTrain Fundamentals and Mastery Progam. This program will provide you with an advanced knowledge of payroll and will also prepare you for the Fundamentals of Payroll Certification (FPC) examination and the Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) examination. It is based on the body of knowledge that payroll professionals have identified as the essential for FPC and CPP certification.

The program consists of two parts--PayTrain Fundamentals which introduces new employees or those new to the payroll industry to the basic skills and abilities of payroll practice. The course contains all of the calculations necessary for success in the payroll industry as well as for those preparing for the FPC exam.

The next portion of the program, PayTrain Mastery, includes more in depth examination of payroll procedures and complex payroll applications. It is designed for employees who are seeking advanced-level payroll knowledge and skills. This course is ideal for those who will sit for the CPP exam.

Students are required to register for full program which is 80 contact hours and is instructor-facilitated.

Course Outline for PayTrain Fundamentals and Mastery Program

(The same topics are covered in both courses, however PayTrain Fundamentals is an introduction to these topics and PayTrain Mastery examines each topic in more depth.)

Module 1: Payroll Concepts: Introduction to payroll, Employee/Independent Contractor; Fair Labor Standards; Employment Forms

Module 2: Payroll Calculations: Calculation of Over time Premium; Calculation of Gross Pay; Calculation of Federal Income Tax; Calculation of Social Security and Medicare Taxes; Calculation of AEIC; Calculation of Voluntary Deductions; Calculation of Involuntary Deductions; Calculations of Net Pay

Module 3: Fringe Benefits: Fringe Benefits Rules; Nontaxable Benefits; Cafeteria Plans, Retirement Plans

Module 4: Payroll Reporting and Employment Taxes: Tax Deposit Requirements; Quarterly Returns, Annual Returns;

Module 5: Record Keeping and Payroll Practices: Systems; Penalties

Module 6: Payroll Accounting: Accounting Terminology, Account Classification; Journal Entries; Reconciliations; Internal Control

Module 7: Administration: Customer Service; Time Management; Communication

Prerequisites/Audience

Students should be proficient in keyboarding, have a basic understanding of a word processing computer program (Microsoft Word recommended), and have a command of English grammar and punctuation. No payroll or office work experience is required.

The target audience for the PayTrain Fundamental and Mastery Program are individuals interested in acquiring the knowledge and skills to become a payroll professional or update and refresh current knowledge in this career field. The program also prepares students to sit for the FCP and CPP exams.

PC Requirements/Materials Included

This course is compatible with the Windows Vista operating system.
Students will need to have access to a word processing program like Microsoft Word or Works and a free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader. They will also need unlimited internet access.
The materials for this program will be sent to the student upon registration.

Instructor Bio

Donna Michele, CPP is currently a director of Payroll and Accounts Payable for a large regional health benefits company. She has been involved in the payroll industry for over 10 years. She has taught payroll courses at the college level and is a founding member of the Capital Region Chapter (Albany, NY) of the American Payroll Association, a national chapter member, national hotline volunteer and a board member.