Date patterns

Date patterns are predictable sequences of dates that govern when accrual balances are incremented. For example, the first of every year, the seventh day of every pay period, and Monday of each week, are patterns.

  • Change preset amounts automatically when milestones occur. For example, on person anniversary dates, you can create a yearly date pattern, such as Person Anniversary, and associate it with an accrual policy. The system adjusts predefined amounts for grants and limits that are associated with the accrual policy when predefined milestones occur.
  • Define time periods for fixed grants, carryover limits, earned grants, earning limits, and probation periods. For example:
  • To create a fixed grant in which an accrual balance is incremented with a preset amount each year on January 1st, create a date pattern named Annual on January 1 and create a fixed grant named Annually that uses the date pattern in its definition.
  • To create a fixed grant in which an accrual balance is incremented with a preset amount on the fifteenth of the month, create a date pattern named Every Month on the Fifteenth and create a fixed grant named Monthly that uses the date pattern in its definition.
  • To create a carryover limit in which the system resets an accrual balance to zero on the last day of every year, create a date pattern named Annual on December 31 and create a carryover limit named End of Year that uses the date pattern in its definition
  • Serve as a reporting, or tracking period, for accrual codes. The date pattern specifies the display period start and stop dates for the accrual code. Date patterns used for accrual code reporting periods must use site-wide dates and cannot have an offset.

You can create a date pattern, or offset, that can be used by another date pattern to advance or delay the first date of the date pattern. For example, Every Anniversary Start On Next Pay Period is a date pattern that uses an offset date pattern. Every Anniversary represents yearly intervals, while Next Pay Period represents intervals of pay periods.

Note: A date pattern can include an offset date pattern. An offset date pattern cannot include another offset date pattern.

Select Administration > Application Setup > Accruals > Date Patterns. When you create, edit or duplicate date patterns, use the following fields:

  • Reference Date — The start date of the date pattern. It can be a Person-Specific or Site-Wide date.

    • Note: For date patterns used in overtime rules, the reference date must be a Site-Wide date.

  • Name — The name of the date pattern. Use a naming convention so that you can easily identify this pattern later in the configuration process. Include detailed information for complex configurations. The name must be unique among date patterns.
  • Frequency — The length of the date pattern, or how often it occurs. Enter a number, then select a unit of time.

    Example: To specify a date pattern that occurs every two weeks, enter 2 in the text box and select Weeks from the drop-down list.

    Note: For annual date patterns that use the employee’s hire date as the Reference Date, if the hire date is leap day (February 29), configure the Frequency as 12 months instead of 1 year to ensure expected behavior.

  • Pattern Start — Date of the pay period on which to start the date pattern.
  • Start of reference date — The pattern starts on the reference date.
    • Start closest to reference date—The pattern starts on the date closest to the reference date. For example, if you specify the first of the month and the reference date is January 20, the first date will be February 1.
    • Start on or before reference date—The pattern starts on the reference date or the closest date before the reference date. For example, if you specify the 15 of the month and the reference date is January 20, the first date will be January 15.
    • Start on or after reference date — The pattern starts on the reference date or the closest date after the reference date. For example, if you specify the first of the month and the reference date is January 10, the first date will be February 1.
  • Offset — A date pattern that can be used to advance or delay the first date of the date pattern. Select Before or After, then enter a number and a unit of time. If you are not using an offset, select None.
  • Full-Time Equivalent — The number of hours that a full-time employee is expected to work within the time interval defined by the date pattern. This value is used for prorating fixed grants for part-time employees.

    Example: You specify a date pattern of one pay period, the hours could be 40 or 80. If you specify a monthly date pattern, the hours could be 240. To calculate the extra hours, the system uses the part-time employee's part-time ratio and the number of hours that a full-time employee is expected to work within the specified date pattern.

To review your selections, click Preview. The Date Preview window shows how a specified date pattern applies, so that you can confirm that you have configured it properly. The Preview window shows:

  • The first occurrence of the date pattern
  • Subsequent occurrences
  • For most patterns, these two pieces of information indicate whether the date pattern works as you want it to.