How to Manage Allowances

Every allowance you create belongs to one of three categories. The category determines how the allowance is calculated and whether it stacks with other allowances.

Cumulative Allowances

When multiple cumulative allowances apply to the same timesheet entry, only the highest rate is paid.

• Use when your award says "the highest applicable rate applies"
• Only one cumulative allowance will ever be paid per timesheet entry
• The system automatically selects the most favourable one for the employee

Example: An employee works a shift that qualifies for both a $15 "Night Shift Allowance" and a $20 "Weekend Shift Allowance" — only the $20 is paid.

Non-Cumulative Allowances

Non-cumulative allowances are paid in addition to any other allowances. They stack and can have daily or weekly caps.

• Use for fixed entitlements that should always be paid when conditions are met
• Set daily caps or weekly caps to limit total payout
• Calculation is time-based — the amount is determined automatically from hours worked

Example: A $10/day "Uniform Allowance" capped at $50/week — if an employee works 6 days, they receive $50 (not $60).

Unit Allowances

Unit allowances are calculated per unit rather than per hour or per shift. You define a rate per unit and a unit name.

• Use for variable-quantity entitlements
• The default amount (number of units) can be set on the trigger and overridden on the timesheet
• Managers or admins can adjust the quantity when processing timesheets

Example: A "Travel Allowance" at $0.85 per kilometre — set a default of 25km on the shift, and adjust to the actual distance when processing the timesheet.

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How Allowances Are Triggered

Once you've created allowances in your award configuration, you need to attach them as triggers to determine when they are applied. Timecloud supports six trigger sources:

1. Shift-Based Triggers

Allowances are applied automatically when an employee works a specific shift.

• Configure on the Allowances tab of any shift template
• Best for site-specific or shift-specific entitlements
• Supports the Requires Check-in toggle (see below)

Example: A "Cold Storage Allowance" triggered whenever someone works the Freezer Shift.

2. Role-Based Triggers

Allowances are applied automatically when an employee works in a specific role.

• Configure on the Allowances section of a company role
• Best for role-specific entitlements that apply regardless of which shift is worked
• Supports the Requires Check-in toggle

Example: A "First Aid Officer Allowance" triggered whenever someone works in the First Aid Officer role.

3. Job Item Triggers

Allowances are applied automatically when an employee logs time against a specific job item.

• Configure on the Allowances section of a job item
• Best for project-specific or task-specific entitlements
• Supports the Requires Check-in toggle

Example: A "Remote Site Allowance" triggered whenever someone logs time against the "Mine Site A" job item.

4. Employee-Level Triggers

Allowances are configured directly on an individual employee's profile.

• Configure on the employee's Awards tab
• Best for individual-specific entitlements that apply to every shift
• Supports the Requires Check-in toggle

Example: A "Tool Allowance" assigned only to qualified tradespeople.

5. Leave-Based Triggers

Allowances are applied automatically when an employee takes a specific type of leave.

• Configure on the Allowances section of a leave type
• Best for allowances that should be paid during leave periods

Example: A "District Allowance" that continues to be paid during Annual Leave.

6. Manual Triggers

Allowances are added directly to a timesheet entry by an admin or manager.

• Applied via the Allowances modal on any timesheet entry
• Best for one-off or irregular entitlements
• Amount is always editable for manual allowances
• Can be added and removed without affecting any configuration

Example: A one-off "Transport Reimbursement" for an employee who had to take a taxi due to a cancelled train.

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Overriding Allowance Amounts

Whether you can change the amount paid for an allowance on a timesheet depends on the category and trigger source:

Key takeaway: If you need to be able to adjust the allowance amount per timesheet entry, use a Unit Allowance. Unit allowances always display an editable amount field, regardless of how they were triggered.

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Requires Check-in Toggle

The Requires Check-in toggle appears on shift, role, job item, and employee triggers. It controls whether the allowance depends on the employee actually clocking in and out:

• OFF (default) — the allowance is applied whenever the employee is rostered or has a timesheet entry for that trigger, regardless of whether they physically checked in
• ON — the allowance is only applied if the employee has a complete clock-in and clock-out recorded

When to use it:

• Turn it ON for allowances that require confirmed on-site attendance (e.g., site allowances, hazard pay)
• Leave it OFF for allowances that should apply based on the roster or assignment alone (e.g., shift loading)

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Where to Find It

Creating Allowances (Award Configuration)

1. Go to Settings → Payroll Rules.
2. Open your award and navigate to the Allowances step (Step 6).
3. Add allowances under the relevant group (Cumulative, Non-Cumulative, or Unit).
4. Publish the award version.

Attaching Allowances as Triggers

Managing Allowances on Timesheets

1. Open an employee's timesheet entry.
2. Click the Allowances button.
3. View all applied allowances with their source (Shift, Role, Job Item, Employee, Leave, or Manual).
4. For automatic triggers: toggle allowances on/off.
5. For unit and manual allowances: edit the amount.
6. Click Add Allowance to manually add additional allowances.
7. Click Save.

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Apply Settings Across All Employment Types

In the award wizard, use the Apply Settings Across All Employment Types toggle:

• ON — the same allowance configuration applies to every employment type
• OFF — configure allowances individually per employment type

Note: Turning this on will overwrite per-type configurations. A confirmation prompt will appear.

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Adding an Allowance in the Award Wizard

1. Expand the relevant group (Cumulative, Non-Cumulative, or Unit).
2. Click Add Allowance.
3. Fill in the fields:
   • Clause — reference the award clause number
   • Rule Title — name the allowance
   • Allowance Type — Standard or All Purpose (for non-cumulative)
   • Unit — Per Hour, Per Day, Per Shift, or Per Week (for non-cumulative)
   • Rate — the dollar amount
   • Unit Name — what the unit is called (for unit allowances, e.g., "Kilometre")
   • Rate Per Unit — the dollar amount per unit (for unit allowances)
   • Capped Period — Daily, Weekly, or Uncapped (for non-cumulative)
   • Capped Max Value — maximum payout for the cap period (for non-cumulative)
   • Enabled toggle — turn the allowance on or off

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Attaching Allowances to a Trigger (Shift, Role, Job, Employee)

1. Navigate to the trigger entity (shift template, role, job item, or employee profile).
2. Find the Allowances section or tab.
3. Click Add Allowance.
4. In the selection dialog, search or browse for the allowance.
5. Tick the allowances you want to attach and click Save.
6. For unit allowances: enter a Default Amount — this is the starting quantity.
7. Set the Requires Check-in toggle as needed.
8. Save the trigger entity.

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Tips

• Use cumulative allowances when your award specifies "the highest applicable rate applies" — this prevents overpayment.
• Use non-cumulative allowances for entitlements that should stack (e.g., uniform + tool allowances).
• Use unit allowances when the amount varies per occurrence and you need managers to be able to adjust it (e.g., kilometres, meals).
• Set caps on non-cumulative allowances to prevent overpayment beyond award limits.
• Combine multiple triggers — the same allowance can be attached to multiple shifts, roles, or job items.
• When an allowance appears on a timesheet from an automatic trigger, you can toggle it off without deleting the trigger — useful for exceptions.
• Manual allowances are best for one-off payments that don't justify configuring a permanent trigger.

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Quick Reference: Choosing the Right Setup

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Related Topics

• How to Set Up Allowances on a Shift — detailed guide for shift-based triggers
• How to Set Up Pay Rates — configure base rates alongside allowances
• How to Publish Award Versions — go live with your allowance configuration
• How to Manage Leave Settings — attach allowances to leave types