A total control amount is a quality assurance tool some payroll controllers use to ensure payroll is entered fairly and equally into a system. It works like this:
- Here’s Allison; Allison does payroll for Ink and Inkwells Ltd.
- Now Allison’s predecessor, Susie, was a bit too absentminded and ended up paying Wally, the Janitor, for 400 hours instead of 40. Wally saw the mistake, but instead of owning up to it, decided, “I’m outta here!” causing their boss, Joey, to remove Susie from the role.
- Allison must avoid making the same mistake, so she uses Total Control Amount.
- When Allison enters the payroll, she compares the entered amount in the system to the amount on the timecard and calculates the difference between the two numbers.
- Suppose the difference is zero, then great! The work is done.
- Now, if only there were a way to stop the entire office from having a mental breakdown.