Leave balances in SmoothPay should normally update automatically through the pay process. Manual adjustments should only be used when a genuine correction is required.
This article explains:
When you should adjust leave balances
The three available adjustment methods
Which method is appropriate for which scenario
When Adjustments Are Appropriate
Use adjustments only when a real correction is needed, such as:
Leave accrual missed in a previous pay process
Wrong leave amount entered previously
Migrating employees from another system
Correcting discrepancies after reviewing audit records
If leave settings are correct and leave is processed through the normal pay process, manual adjustments should rarely be required.
Important
Manual adjustments should not replace proper leave processing in a pay run because:
They do not appear on payslips the same way
They may lack complete audit detail
They bypass contract-based calculation logic
Methods for Adjusting Leave Balances
SmoothPay provides three ways to adjust leave balances:
1. Adding a manual transaction
Directly adds or subtracts from the anniversary balance.
Use this for:
One-off corrections
Small isolated errors
Adjustments requiring clear audit notes
This is the safest and most common method.
2. Using the spanner button (to-date calculation)
Automatically adjusts the anniversary balance to achieve a target to-date balance.
Use this when:
Aligning balances to match verified records
Correcting discrepancies caused by a changed period end
Jurisdictions where liability is based on to-date
Re-syncing balances after fixing anniversary date issues
Only available for leave types that support to-date liability.
3. Importing leave balances (Owner only)
Loads balances in bulk using FlexiCSV.
Use this only when:
Migrating large numbers of employees
Rebuilding balances after major data issues
Implementing new leave structures
Updating multiple staff simultaneously
Because this method can overwrite large portions of data, it should be used with extreme caution and ideally with Support guidance.
Choosing the Correct Method
Use this selector to decide:
Scenario | Correct Method |
Small correction needed for one employee | Manual transaction |
Need to match a verified to-date balance | Spanner button |
Adjusting many employees at once | Import process (Owner only) |
Fixing an anniversary date error | Spanner button (after correcting the date) |
Adjusting balances after migration | Manual transaction or import |
Fixing leave missed in a previous pay | Manual transaction |