What This Report Does

The Multiple Period Report gives you a complete view of your payroll data across multiple pay periods. It's perfect for tracking compensation trends, verifying payroll accuracy, and analyzing costs over time.

How to Access the Report

Getting to this report is simple:

1. Click on the 'Live Reports' tab in Cintra Cloud (How do I Access Live Reports?)
2. Find the 'Multiple Period Report - Gross to Net (Summary)' in the report list
3. Click 'View' to open the report

Understanding the Report Layout

The report is organised like a spreadsheet with a clear structure:

• Columns = Different pay periods displaying amounts.  
  (Want to view units in the report? simply click 'Units' from the Columns panel on the right.  For example you can see see the number of basic hours or overtime hours worked for each period.)
  
  
• Rows = Organised by categories, then by specific headings, then by employee

The Four Main Categories

Additions - Money added to payslips

• Base salary, overtime, bonuses, commissions

Deductions - Money taken from paychecks

• Tax, Pension

Employer Overhead - Costs your company pays

• Payroll taxes, employer benefit contributions

Net Pay - Final amount employees receive

• Take-home pay after all additions and deductions

Setting Up Your Report

You only need to set two dates:

• From Date - When you want your analysis to start
• To Date - When you want your analysis to end

Tip: Choose your date range based on what you're analyzing. For example, use 3-6 months for trend analysis, or a full year for annual reviews.

Reading the Data

The report shows three levels of detail:

1. Summary Level - Total amounts for each category across all headings and employees
2. Pay Heading Level - Specific items like "Salary", "Overtime".
3. Employee Level - Individual employee amounts for each pay item

Start at the summary level to spot trends, then drill down to investigate specific areas.

What You Can Do With This Report

Track Trends

• Monitor overtime costs over time
• Identify seasonal patterns

Verify Accuracy

• Compare period-to-period totals to catch errors
• Ensure consistent processing across pay periods

Analyse Costs

• Review total employment costs including overhead
• Compare actual vs. budgeted payroll expenses
• Track the impact of policy changes

Best Practices

For Monthly Reviews:

• Generate the report covering the last 3-6 months
• Look for unusual spikes or drops in any category
• Focus on the summary level first, then investigate details

For Annual Analysis:

• Run a full year report for comprehensive review
• Compare year-over-year trends
• Use for budget planning and forecasting

For Problem-Solving:

• Use when employees question their pay
• Verify calculations and deductions
• Track down processing errors

Quick Tips

• Start broad, then narrow - Begin with category totals before looking at individual employees
• Compare periods - Look for consistent patterns or unexpected changes
• Use for compliance - The employer overhead section helps with tax reporting
• Regular monitoring - Run this report monthly or quarterly for ongoing oversight

This report turns complex payroll data into an easy-to-understand format that helps you make informed decisions about compensation and costs.