Custom Earnings: Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: February 10, 2026

  1. What are Custom Earnings? 

Custom Earnings are supplemental wages that you can define specifically for your organization’s needs. They allow you to add unique pay types beyond standard categories that Niural offers for both W-2 employees and 1099 contractors.

  1. Who can create and manage Custom Earnings? 

Only Admins have the permissions to create, edit, or deactivate Custom Earnings. People Managers do not have access to these settings.

  1. Which worker types and payroll schedules are supported?

  • Worker types: W-2 Employees and 1099 Contractors.

  • Payroll schedules: Both Regular and Off-cycle payroll runs.

Setup and Configuration

  1. How do I add a new Custom Earning?

  • Navigate to Settings > Organization > Payroll.

  • Locate the Earnings section and find Custom Earnings.

  • Click + New custom earning.

  • Enter a unique name and optional description.

  • Choose whether to include or exclude the earning from the Regular Rate of Pay (RRP) for overtime calculations.

  • Click Save.

  1. Are there names I cannot use for Custom Earnings?

 Yes. To prevent data conflicts, you cannot use the following reserved names:

Additional Time Off, Adjustment, Advance Pay, Allowance, Bonus, Cash Tip, Commission, Other, Overtime, Paycheck Tip, Regular Wages, Severance, Variable Compensation.

  1. How do Custom Earnings impact Overtime? 

When creating an earning, you must specify if it counts toward the Regular Rate of Pay (RRP):

  • Included: The amount will be factored into overtime calculations for non-exempt - “Hourly”, “Salary with overtime” and “Annual Salary/Eligible for overtime” employees. In the Payroll run screen, you may need to allocate these to specific workweeks for bi-weekly schedules.

  • Excluded: The earning is treated as a flat supplemental payment and does not affect overtime rates.

Learn more on RPP:

https://niural-knowledge-base.help.usepylon.com/articles/5175416760-understanding-the-regular-rate-of-pay-rrp

Note: 

While you can toggle this setting for exempt - “Annual Salary/No overtime” or “Salary” employees, it will not impact their pay as they do not qualify for overtime.

Using Custom Earnings in Payroll

  1. How do I add Custom Earnings during a payroll run?

During a regular or off-cycle run, you will see a new Custom Earnings column. Clicking into this column opens a modal where you can:

  • See all active Custom Earnings (sorted alphabetically).

  • View earnings grouped by their OT status (Included vs. Excluded).

  • Enter a flat dollar amount for each applicable earning.

  1. Where will the worker see these earnings? 

Custom Earnings appear under the Gross Earnings section of the worker's paystub, displaying the specific name and amount you configured.

  1. “I updated a Custom Earning, but it’s not showing up in my current payroll.” Why?

 If a payroll is already in Draft status, it uses the data available at the time the draft was created. To reflect the most recent changes (like a new description or RRP status), you must discard the draft and restart the payroll run.

Management and Integration

  1. Can I edit or delete a Custom Earning?

  • Edit: You can update the Description and the RRP (Overtime) status at any time. The Name cannot be edited once created.

  • Deactivate: You can deactivate an earning to remove it from future payroll runs. You can reactivate it at any time.

  • Delete: To maintain historical record integrity, earnings are typically deactivated rather than deleted.

  1. How does this flow into my accounting software (QuickBooks)? 

Custom Earnings are designed for a clean data sync. They will map directly to your integrated Expense Account within QuickBooks to ensure your books stay balanced without manual entry.