Employee dimensions
OnePayroll uses Business Central's dimension system to track payroll costs by cost center, project, department, or other analytical categories. Dimensions are assigned at the employee payable level and automatically flow through to payroll entries and general ledger postings.
How dimensions work in payroll
Dimensions in OnePayroll are stored on dimension lines that are linked to employee payables. Each dimension line contains a dimension set (a combination of dimension values) along with a date range and a weight for proportional allocation.
During payroll calculation, OnePayroll reads the dimension lines for each payable and distributes the calculated amounts across the dimension sets proportionally based on the assigned weights.
Dimension lines
Each employee payable can have one or more dimension lines. Dimension lines support:
- Date-range-based dimensions — dimensions that are effective only for a specific period, allowing you to change dimension values over time without modifying historical data
- Weighted distribution — multiple dimension lines with different quantities to split amounts proportionally across dimension sets
Dimension line fields
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Dimension Set ID | The set of dimension values assigned (uses Business Central's standard Dimension Set Entry system) |
| Start Date | The date from which this dimension assignment is effective |
| End Date | The date until which this dimension assignment is effective |
| Quantity | A weighting factor for proportional distribution |
| Shortcut Dimensions 1-8 | Quick access to the dimension values in the set |
Example: Splitting costs across departments
An employee who works 60% in Sales and 40% in Operations could have two dimension lines:
| Quantity | Department Dimension | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | SALES | 01/01/2026 | (blank) |
| 40 | OPERATIONS | 01/01/2026 | (blank) |
During payroll calculation, 60% of the employee's payroll amount is posted with the SALES dimension value, and 40% with the OPERATIONS dimension value.
Manage dimensions
To assign dimensions to a payable
- Open the Employee Card
- Select View Payables or navigate to the payable in the Job & Compensation section
- On the Payables page, select the payable line
- Select Dimensions from the actions
- On the Dimensions page, add dimension lines:
- Select Edit Dimension Set to open the standard Business Central dimension set editor and choose dimension values
- Set Start Date and End Date for period-specific dimensions
- Set Quantity if splitting across multiple dimension sets
- Close the page
To review required dimensions
Some dimensions can be marked as Required for Payroll on the standard Dimensions setup page. When a dimension is required:
- Employees must have at least one dimension value assigned for that dimension
- The Required Dimensions FactBox on the Dimensions page shows which required dimensions are configured
To set a dimension as required for payroll
- Search for Dimensions
- Select the dimension
- Turn on Required for Payroll
Dimensions on payroll entries
When payroll is calculated, dimension information flows from the payable's dimension lines to Payroll Entry Dimensions. Each payroll entry dimension records:
- The dimension set applied
- The amount allocated to that dimension set
- The global dimension values for quick filtering
If a payable has multiple dimension lines, the payroll entry amount is split proportionally, and separate payroll entry dimension records are created for each split.
Dimensions on GL postings
When the payroll run is posted to the General Ledger, the dimension sets from payroll entry dimensions are carried over to the General Journal Lines. This means:
- GL entries are tagged with the correct dimension values
- You can analyze payroll costs by dimension in standard Business Central financial reports
- Cost center and project allocation is handled automatically
Dimensions on manual payment journal lines
When creating manual payments, journal lines can also have dimensions assigned. If a journal line has its own dimension set, it takes precedence over the dimension lines from the employee's payables.