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What Smart Formulas Do

Smart Formulas calculate the timesheet lines that should be uploaded to Xero based on the date, start time, end time, employee assignment, and the rules you set up in UpSheets. They can calculate:
  • Ordinary time and penalties: Different rates for different days or times of day.
  • Overtime: Daily or weekly overtime based on worked hours.
  • Allowances: Time-based, shift, day, week, broken shift, minimum engagement, top up, and manual allowances.
  • Breaks: Break rows from an import file, or automatic break removal based on worked hours.
  • Public holidays: Holiday-specific rates when holidays are enabled and configured.
  • Assessment periods: Weekly, fortnightly, 3-weekly, or 4-weekly calculations.
Smart Formulas are currently available in Australia only. Contact us if you require this in the UK or NZ.
Smart Formulas are not a substitute for payroll or legal advice. You remain responsible for checking that employees are paid correctly and that your setup complies with the rules that apply to your business.

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Smart Formula Sources

Smart Formulas can be sourced from UpSheets or Xero.
  • UpSheets: Create and maintain Smart Formulas in Smart Formulas > Configure. You can start with a custom formula, copy a pre-determined formula from the Award Library into your organisation, browse the supported award pay rates to see which modern awards are available, or (when enabled) use Build with AI Assistant to interview your requirements and create a draft for review. UpSheets-sourced formulas must be published before they can be assigned to employees.
  • Xero: Define formatted pay items in Xero, assign them to employee pay templates, then refresh them into UpSheets. This is still supported, but is considered the legacy setup path. See Import Smart Formulas From Xero.

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High-Level Process Flow

Use this flow when setting up Smart Formulas for an organisation:
1

Enable Smart Formulas

Select Settings from the menu, open the Smart Formulas tab, then enable Smart Formulas and confirm. The Smart Formulas menu becomes available, Smart Formula Source defaults to UpSheets, and you are taken to Configure.To use the legacy Xero-sourced setup instead, change Smart Formula Source to Xero in Smart Formula Settings.
2

Configure or Copy a Smart Formula

Use Smart Formulas > Configure to create your own formula, copy a pre-determined formula from the Award Library, or (when enabled) build a draft with AI. See the supported award pay rates and the Award Library overview. Award Library and AI drafts must be reviewed, simulated, and published before assignment.
3

Simulate the Output

Use Smart Formulas > Simulate to enter sample timesheet lines and check the generated output before employees use the formula.
4

Publish the Formula

Publish the draft version when it is ready. Published versions are read-only and can be assigned to employees.
5

Assign the Formula to Employees

Use Smart Formulas > Assign to select employees, choose the formula, set the base rate where needed, and decide whether automatic allowances should apply.
6

Import Timesheet Data

Import a file with employee, date, start time, and end time values. If your file only has total hours, you can use a default start time so UpSheets can generate start and end times.
7

Review and Upload to Xero

Review the validated lines generated by Smart Formulas, fix any issues, then upload the timesheets to Xero.

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Main Smart Formula Pages

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Import File Requirements

For most Smart Formula imports, your file should include:
  • name or another value that can be mapped to identify the employee.
  • date
  • start_time
  • end_time
If your file has only total hours, you can set a default start time so UpSheets generates start and end times for calculation. If you need some rows to remain as normal Xero pay items instead of Smart Formula rows, use Allow Types and include a Type column in the file.