How to Handle Incorrect Social Security Numbers in Payroll

 

Occasionally an employee is entered into RTI 2000 Payroll with an incorrect Social Security number. This is easy to fix if there is only one record for the employee. Sometimes, especially in the case where an employee is rehired, the mistake is not caught until another employee record has been added. When this occurs, the solution requires a few more steps. The instructions below show you how to correct the error in either instance.

 

SCENARIO #1 – The employee was entered with an incorrect Social Security number and has only one record in the Payroll system.

 

1.   On the Payroll Processing menu, select Employee Maintenance.

2.   Select the option Change Employee SSN.

3.   Enter the incorrect SSN or the employee’s last name to pull up the employee’s record.

4.   Enter the new (correct) SSN and select OK.

5.   An update process will take place and the new Social Security number will take effect.

 

SCENARIO #2 – The employee was entered with an incorrect Social Security number, but also has another record with the correct Social Security number. To fix this, you must “combine” the information into the correct Social Security number record, and zero out the incorrect record. Use the following steps.

 

Print information on the employee file with the incorrect Social Security number:

1.    On the Payroll Processing menu, select Employee Maintenance.

2.    Then select Change Employees.

3.    Pull up the employee by the incorrect Social Security number.

4.    Select the View option. Select Yes to print in full detail.

5.    Select the print icon at the top of the screen. (This will provide you with a quarter-by-quarter breakdown of the employee’s wages and withholding plus any additions or deductions with the wrong number.)

6.    Select Cancel All.

 

Correct the information in the employee file that has the correct Social Security number:

7.    Go to the Payroll Utilities menu and select Enter/Change Employee Balances.

8.    Enter the correct Social Security number. The employee’s wage, withholding and addition/deduction balances will be available.

9.    Edit the wage, withholding and addition/deduction information for each quarter, so the totals for this employee are correct.

10.   When you are satisfied that all changes have been made, select OK.

11.   A log file will appear on screen. You may print this for your records.

 

“Zero out” the incorrect record and prepare for its deletion.

12.   Now enter the “incorrect” Social Security number.

13.   Edit these totals so all fields show 0.00. This must be done so the totals for the Tax Reporting Group are correct.

14.   When completed, select OK.

15.   Return to the Employee Maintenance option in Processing and select Change Employees again.

16.   Pull up the employee by the correct Social Security number.

17.   Select the View option and select Yes to print in full detail.

18.   Select the print option and press [Enter].

19.   Verify the totals on this sheet. They should be the correct yearly totals for the employee.

20.   Next, pull up the employee with the incorrect number.

21.   Change the number to an obvious bogus number (Ex. 999-88-7777) using the steps in Scenario #1 for changing the SSN. Change the name on the employee so you can easily determine that this is a phony record.

22.   Finally, terminate the (phony) employee, so the record will be deleted when a new payroll year is started.

 

 

If you need help with this procedure, please call RTI Client Services at 1-800-937-1290.