This enhancement allows award templates to work seamlessly across multiple organisations without modification by removing the need to hard‑code specific pay calendar descriptions in award rules. It simplifies award policy maintenance when pay calendars change, supports Modern Award templating through period‑based logic, and enables a single rule to apply consistently across all pay calendars of the same period type.
Getting Started
Prerequisites
Before you can use the Pay Calendar Period Condition, your system administrator must have access to Award Policy configuration. This feature is configured at the award policy rule level and applies during pay run processing.
For System Administrators:
Access to Award Policy configuration.
Understanding of your organisation's pay calendar period types.
Knowledge of which award rules should apply to specific period types.
For Payroll Officers:
No additional permissions required.
Pay Calendar Period Conditions are evaluated automatically during pay run processing.
Note: The Pay Calendar Period Condition is available in the award rule engine alongside other condition types. It can be used in combination with existing conditions to create sophisticated award rules.
Understanding Pay Calendar Period Condition
The Problem with Pay Calendar Conditions
When creating award templates that need to work across multiple organisations, the existing Pay Calendar Condition requires specific pay calendar IDs to be configured. This creates challenges:
Pay calendar IDs are unique to each organisation's database.
Award templates cannot be easily shared or reused.
Changes to pay calendars require updates to award rules.
Template maintenance becomes complex across multiple deployments.
How Pay Calendar Period Condition Works
The Pay Calendar Period Condition evaluates the period type of the employee's assigned pay calendar during pay run processing. Instead of matching against specific calendar IDs, it matches against the period type (Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly, etc.).
Comparison of Condition Types:
Condition Type | Matches Against | Use Case |
Pay Calendar Condition | Specific pay calendar IDs | Organisation-specific rules tied to particular calendars |
Pay Calendar Period Condition | Pay calendar period types | Portable rules that apply to any calendar of a given period type |
Available Pay Calendar Period Types
The following pay calendar period types are available for selection:
Period Type | Description |
Weekly | 7-day pay period |
Fortnightly | 14-day pay period |
Monthly | Calendar month pay period |
Bi-monthly (14 day) | First 14 days of month, then remainder |
Bi-monthly (15 day) | First 15 days of month, then remainder |
FourWeekly | Exactly 28 days (not monthly) |
Quarterly | 3-month pay period |
Note: Multiple period types can be selected in a single condition, allowing a rule to apply to employees on any of the selected period types.
Configuring Pay Calendar Period Condition
Adding a Pay Calendar Period Condition to Award Rules
The Pay Calendar Period Condition is added through the Award Policy configuration using the condition builder.
Navigate to Policies > Award Policies.
Select the award policy you wish to configure.
Edit the relevant rule where you want the condition to apply.
In the condition section, select Pay Calendar Period from the available conditions.
Select one or more applicable pay calendar period types.
Save the award policy.
Important: The Pay Calendar Period Condition evaluates the period type of the pay calendar assigned to the pay run. If an employee falls under a pay calendar with a matching period type, the rule will be processed.
Example Configuration
When configuring an award policy rule that should only apply to employees paid fortnightly or monthly:
Create or edit the award rule
Add a Pay Calendar Period condition
Select Fortnightly and Monthly from the available period types
Configure the actions that should apply when the condition is met
Save the award policy
The rule will now only be processed for employees whose pay calendar has a Fortnightly or Monthly period type.
Using with Other Conditions
The Pay Calendar Period Condition can be combined with other conditions to create more specific rules. For example:
Pay Calendar Period + Employment Status: Apply different rates for casual employees on weekly pay calendars
Pay Calendar Period + Role: Apply specific allowances for certain roles only when paid monthly
Pay Calendar Period + Time of Day: Apply penalty rates differently based on pay period type.
How Pay Runs Use Pay Calendar Period Condition
Automatic Evaluation
Once a Pay Calendar Period Condition is configured in an award policy, it is automatically evaluated during pay run processing. No additional steps are required by payroll officers.
During pay run calculation:
The system identifies the pay calendar assigned to the pay run.
The period type of the pay calendar is determined.
Award rules with Pay Calendar Period Conditions are evaluated.
Rules where the condition matches are processed.
Rules where the condition does not match are skipped.
Viewing Condition Results
When reviewing a pay run, the calculated pay items will reflect the award rules that were applied based on the Pay Calendar Period Condition. You can verify the rules by:
Opening the pay run
Reviewing the employee's pay details
Checking which award rules were applied
Note: The Pay Calendar Period Condition operates at the shift level, meaning it is evaluated for each timesheet entry processed through the award engine.
Comparison with Pay Calendar Condition
When to Use Each Condition
Use Pay Calendar Condition when:
You need rules specific to particular pay calendars in your organisation.
The rule should only apply to employees on a specific named calendar.
You have organisation-specific requirements tied to calendar configuration.
Use Pay Calendar Period Condition when:
You are creating award templates for use across multiple organisations.
The rule logic depends on the pay frequency rather than specific calendars.
You want rules to automatically apply to any calendar of a given period type.
You need to simplify maintenance when pay calendars are added or changed.
Migration Considerations
If you have existing award policies using Pay Calendar Conditions and want to transition to Pay Calendar Period Conditions:
Review your current award policies
Identify rules that could benefit from period-based logic
Cease the current version of your award (Recommend ending to coincide with a pay period end date)
Create a new version of your award (Recommend starting to coincide with a pay period start date)
Update the relevant rules to use Pay Calendar Period Condition
Test the updated policies in a non-production environment
Deploy the changes during a suitable pay period transition.
Important: Both condition types can coexist in the same award policy. You do not need to replace all Pay Calendar Conditions with Pay Calendar Period Conditions.
Troubleshooting
Rule Not Being Applied
Problem: An award rule with a Pay Calendar Period Condition is not being applied during pay run processing
Solution:
Verify that the Pay Calendar Period Condition is correctly configured in the award policy.
Check that the employee's pay calendar has a period type that matches the condition.
Confirm the pay calendar period type in the pay calendar configuration.
Ensure the award policy is active and assigned to the relevant employees.
Unexpected Rule Application
Problem: A rule is being applied when it should not be
Solution:
Review the Pay Calendar Period Condition configuration.
Verify that only the intended period types are selected.
Check if multiple rules with overlapping conditions exist.
Review the pay calendar configuration to confirm the period type.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does the Pay Calendar Period Condition replace the Pay Calendar Condition?
A: No, both conditions serve different purposes and can coexist. Use Pay Calendar Condition for organisation-specific rules tied to particular calendars, and Pay Calendar Period Condition for portable rules based on pay frequency.
Q: Can I select multiple period types in a single condition?
A: Yes, you can select multiple period types. The condition will match if the employee's pay calendar period type is any of the selected types.
Q: What happens if an employee's pay calendar period type is not in the condition?
A: The rule will not be applied for that employee. The condition acts as a filter, only allowing the rule to process when there is a match.
Q: Does changing a pay calendar's period type affect existing award rules?
A: Yes, if you change a pay calendar's period type, any Pay Calendar Period Conditions will evaluate against the new period type. This is one of the benefits of using period-based conditions.
Q: Can I use Pay Calendar Period Condition in pre-processor rules?
A: Yes, the Pay Calendar Period Condition can be used in pre-processor rules, award rules, and other rule types within the award policy engine.
Getting Help
If you experience issues or have questions about the Pay Calendar Period Condition:
Review this guide for configuration and troubleshooting information
Contact your system administrator for award policy configuration questions
Check the pay calendar configuration to verify period types are set correctly
Check the online help within Definitiv for additional guidance
Contact support if you need assistance with configuration or unexpected behaviour by raising a case online.