Retro Payroll Process

Retroactive Payroll Results

This is created when an employee, manager, or HR Professional makes an entry in Workday to a pay period in which the payroll has already been confirmed 

Example below:

• • Today’s date: 01/29/2026 is in PP04 (01/25/2026-02/07/2026)

  • Employee enters a vacation time off take in PP02 (12/28/2025-01/10/2026)

  • This retroactive entry triggers a payroll retro recalculation

Supported Retro

Retroactive entries that Workday will process automatically

• • Retroactive entries that will create supported retro (not all inclusive): 

    • Time off entries

    • Add Additional Job

Unsupported Retro

Retroactive entries that Workday will not process automatically and require manual intervention to process by Madison OST

• • Retroactive entries that will create unsupported retro:

    • Retroactive End Additional Job (most common action that causes unsupported retro)

    • Retro Pay Group Change

    • Retroactive Company Change

NRPPT Date:

No Retro Processing Prior to Date - the date that states whether or not retroactive entries made before this date will automatically process

• • This date is 06/29/2025 (the start of Workday go live) unless:

  • Unsupported retro entries will cause the NRPPT Date to permanently move to the first day in the pay period that the change happens

    • Example: If an End Additional Job is processed mid-pay period, the NRPPT Date moves to the first date of the pay period of when the change was made

      • Today’s date: 01/29/2026 is in PP04 (01/25/2026-02/07/2026)

      • HR enters an End Additional Job BP effective 01/01/2026 (PP02 12/28/2025-01/10/2026)

      • The NRPPT Date moves to 1/25/2026, the first day of PP04

Supported Retro

Retroactive entries that Workday will process automatically

• Retroactive entries that will create supported retro: 

  • Time Off

  • Payroll Input

  • Time Entry

  • Compensation Change

  • Retro Benefit Change

  • Add Additional Job

  • Retro Leave of Absence (Request and Return)

  • Retro Hire

  • Retro Termination

Once a Retro Pay Calc runs, view the Retro Results from the worker’s profile.

1. Navigate to Pay

2. Open the Results tab and scroll all the way to the right

   1. Include Retro Difference From: The row where this populates will be the pay period the retro will pay out

   2. Recalculate During Retro: The row where this populates is the pay period where it was recognized as retro

      1. These two may be in different pay periods depending on when the HR change was done

Example: Interpreting the Supported Retro Events and Pay Calculation

The retro row under Recalculate During Retro shows that there was a retro event during the pay period ending on 1/10/2026 for $1.414.88.

This retro row under Included Retro Different From shows that there was the matching amount of $1,414.88, and will be paid out on the 02/05/2026 check.

To see a more detailed breakdown of the retro event, click the blue hyperlink in the Retro Results column. This includes any deductions that are impacted by the retro wages.

Note: Workday tries to process retro amounts, but please verify the retro amounts for accuracy.

Key Concepts and Definitions

Unsupported Retro

Retroactive entries that Workday will not process automatically and require manual intervention to process by Madison OST

• Retroactive entries that will create unsupported retro:

  • Retroactive End Additional Job (most common action that causes unsupported retro)

  • Retro Pay Group Change

  • Retroactive Company Change

NRPPT Date

No Retro Processing Prior to Date - the date that states whether or not retroactive entries made before this date will automatically process

• This date 06/29/2025 (Workday go live) unless there is an unsupported retro entry, which will cause the NRPPT Date to move

• Unsupported retro entries will cause the NRPPT Date to permanently move to the first day in the pay period that the change happens

  • Example: If an End Additional Job processes mid-pay period, the NRPPT Date moves to the first date of that pay period

    • Today’s date: 01/29/2026 is in PP04 (01/25/2026-02/07/2026)

    • HR enters an End Additional Job BP effective 01/01/2026 (PP02 12/28/2025-01/10/2026)

    • The NRPPT Date moves to 1/25/2026, PP4

Action

Any retro entries prior to the new NRPPT Date will become unsupported retro and will need manual intervention, and will require a ticket for Madison OST to review.

How to Review a NRPPT Date

When balancing payroll and an employee is not being paid what is expected, review the NRPPT Date to see any Unsupported Retro.

1. Navigate to the Employee’s Profile

2. Select Actions

3. Hover over Payroll

4. Select Retro Pay Calculation for Worker

The Retro Pay Calculation Results for Worker report displays:

1. Retro Status: Cannot process Retro - has unsupported retro events
2. NRPPT Date Before / After Calculation - this shows the NRPPT Date has moved from 6/29/2025 to 11/16/2025
3. Unsupported Retro Entries - this shows the entries that are not being processed due to the new NRPPT Date

To see more details and troubleshoot the Unprocessed Retro Entries, review the events from the Retro Pay Calculation for Worker report.

1. Click on the blue link to see the Business Process details and process history. In the example here, click on End Additional Job. 
   
2. In the End Additional Job BP history, click Process to see when the BP was entered to determine what caused the NRPPT date to change.
   
3. This End Additional Job BP was completed on 11/25/2025, moving the NRPPT Date to the first day of the pay period the action was completed, 11/16/2025, which is shown on the Retro Pay Calculation for Worker report.
   

From the Retro Pay Calculation for Worker report, there is also a Time Entry that is unprocessed.

• Click on the Time Entry blue link to see when the hours were entered.
  • The hours were entered between 10/26/2025-11/01/2025.
• Because the NRPPT Date is now 11/16/2025, these hours will not automatically be paid out because the Time Entry was made prior to the new NRPPT Date.

Actions

To get Unsupported Retro events paid:

• Submit a GetHelpUW ticket, including any details found while troubleshooting (new NRPPT Date, cause of NRPPT date to change, retro entries that are going unpaid, etc.).
• Madison OST will create a manual entry to properly pay the employee.