Use the Allowances page to create recurring or one-off allowances that can be applied to shifts and pay runs.
Allowances can also be connected to available Xero allowance pay items.
Version 8.0.0 adds a confirmation warning when an allowance is made unavailable, including when pending allowance requests may be affected.
Before you begin
You need permission to:
Access Finance
Create or edit allowances
Review the connected Xero organisation
Assign Xero allowance pay items
Before connecting an allowance, confirm that:
The correct Xero organisation is selected.
The required allowance exists in Xero.
The Xero allowance is available for payroll use.
The Diversity Sync’d allowance has the correct name and type.
Any pending allowance requests have been reviewed.
Note: Connecting an allowance to Xero does not automatically add it to a shift or pay run. The allowance must still be applied or requested through the relevant workflow.
1. Open Allowances
Select Finance from the main navigation.
Confirm that the correct Xero account is displayed.
Select the Allowances tab.
The Finance area may include:
Pay Calendars
Shift Pay Rates
Sites
Allowances
Leave
Timesheets
Notifications
Staff Mapping
Xero
2. Review the allowance list
The Allowances page lists the allowances available in Diversity Sync’d.
The table may include:
Name
Type
Requestable
(Xero) Allowance
Additional actions menu
Name
Shows the allowance name used in Diversity Sync’d.
Type
Shows the category assigned to the allowance.
Types may include values such as:
Other
Travel
Qualifications
The available types depend on the current organisation configuration.
Requestable
Shows whether staff can request the allowance from their Dashboard.
The value may display as:
Yes
No
Xero Allowance
Shows the Xero allowance pay item assigned to the Diversity Sync’d allowance.
Not Assigned appears when the allowance has not been connected to Xero.
3. Search for an allowance
Select Search allowances....
Enter the allowance name.
Review the matching results.
Clear the search field to display all allowances again.
4. Create an allowance
Select Create Allowance.
The Create Allowance window opens.
Enter the allowance Name.
Open Type.
Select the required allowance type.
Review the (Xero) Allowance field.
Turn on Requestable where staff should be allowed to request the allowance.
Select Save.
The Save button remains unavailable until the required information has been entered.
5. Enter the allowance name
Enter a clear name that describes how the allowance is used.
Examples may include:
Sleepover
Kilometre Reimbursement
First Aid
Broken Shift
Use a name that staff and payroll reviewers can recognise.
6. Select the allowance type
Open Type.
Select the category that best matches the allowance.
Review the selected type before saving.
The selected type helps organise the allowance in Diversity Sync’d.
It does not replace the Xero allowance assignment.
7. Connect the allowance to Xero
The (Xero) Allowance field connects the Diversity Sync’d allowance to an available Xero allowance pay item.
To assign an allowance:
Open (Xero) Allowance.
Review the available Xero allowances.
Select the required allowance.
Confirm that the selected Xero pay item matches the Diversity Sync’d allowance.
Select Save.
The selector may also include:
An available Xero allowance name
None
Select None when the allowance should not be connected to a Xero allowance pay item.
Important: Confirm the selected Xero allowance before saving. An incorrect assignment may send allowance amounts to the wrong payroll pay item.
8. Make an allowance requestable
Turn on Requestable when staff should be able to request the allowance from their Dashboard.
When enabled:
The allowance may appear in the staff allowance-request workflow.
Staff may submit a request for review.
The request remains subject to the organisation’s approval process.
When disabled:
Staff cannot create new requests for that allowance.
Existing or pending requests may still require review.
Note: Requestable controls whether staff can request the allowance. It does not control whether administrators can apply the allowance through other supported workflows.
9. Edit an existing allowance
Find the required allowance.
Open its three-dot menu.
Select the available edit action.
The Edit Allowance window opens.
Review the allowance Name.
Review the Type.
Review the assigned (Xero) Allowance.
Update the available settings.
Select Save.
Some fields may be unavailable for editing after the allowance has been created.
10. Change the Xero allowance assignment
To connect the allowance to a different Xero pay item:
Open the allowance’s edit window.
Open (Xero) Allowance.
Select the new Xero allowance.
Review the change.
Select Save.
Important: Review any existing payroll processing before changing an allowance assignment. Future synchronisation may use the newly selected Xero allowance.
11. Remove the Xero allowance assignment
To disconnect the Diversity Sync’d allowance from its Xero allowance pay item:
Open the allowance’s edit window.
Open (Xero) Allowance.
Select None.
Review the confirmation warning, where it appears.
Confirm the change.
Select Save.
The allowance displays Not Assigned in the allowance list after the Xero assignment is removed.
Important: Removing the Xero assignment prevents future allowance synchronisation through that pay item. Review pending payroll and allowance requests before confirming the change.
12. Make an allowance unavailable
Version 8.0.0 adds a confirmation before an allowance is made unavailable.
The confirmation may appear when:
Requestable is turned off.
An allowance is removed from an available workflow.
The Xero allowance assignment is removed.
Pending requests exist for the allowance.
Before confirming:
Review the allowance name.
Check whether staff can currently request it.
Review any pending allowance requests.
Confirm whether the allowance should remain available.
Continue only when the change is intended.
Important: Making an allowance unavailable may prevent new requests while existing pending requests still require approval, denial or other action.
13. Review pending allowance requests
Before disabling or disconnecting an allowance:
Check for pending allowance requests.
Review the affected staff members and shifts.
Approve or deny each request where required.
Confirm whether any approved requests still need payroll processing.
Return to Allowances.
Complete the allowance change.
The pending-request warning depends on whether requests currently exist.
Note: A pending-request warning may not appear when there are no affected allowance requests.
14. Confirm the Xero assignment
After creating or editing an allowance:
Return to the Allowances list.
Find the allowance.
Review the (Xero) Allowance column.
Confirm that the correct Xero pay item is displayed.
Confirm that Requestable shows the intended value.
If Not Assigned appears unexpectedly, reopen the allowance and review the Xero assignment.
15. Test the allowance workflow
After configuration:
Create or open a suitable test shift.
Apply or request the allowance through the supported workflow.
Review the allowance request where approval is required.
Review the resulting Timesheet.
Confirm that the correct Xero allowance pay item is used during synchronisation.
Remove or correct the test record when it is no longer required.
Do not use a live payroll period for testing unless authorised.
Important: Confirm the Xero mapping before synchronising a live pay period. Incorrect mappings may require manual correction in Xero.
Important notes
Allowances may be recurring or one-off.
The Allowances page uses the selected Xero account.
Requestable controls whether staff may request the allowance from their Dashboard.
(Xero) Allowance connects the Diversity Sync’d allowance to a Xero payroll allowance.
Not Assigned means no Xero allowance has been connected.
Select None to remove an existing Xero allowance assignment.
Changing an assignment may affect future payroll synchronisation.
Version 8.0.0 adds confirmation before an allowance is made unavailable.
A warning may appear when pending allowance requests exist.
Pending requests should be reviewed before the allowance is disabled or disconnected.
Available Xero allowances depend on the selected Xero organisation.
The Xero allowance pay item must exist in Xero before it can be selected in Diversity Sync’d.
Troubleshooting
I cannot see the Allowances tab
Confirm that you have permission to access Finance.
Confirm that your role can manage payroll settings.
Refresh the page.
Contact an administrator if the tab remains unavailable.
Create Allowance is unavailable
Confirm that your role can create allowances.
Confirm that the correct Xero organisation is selected.
Refresh the page.
Contact an administrator if Create Allowance remains unavailable.
The Save button is unavailable
Enter an allowance Name.
Select a Type.
Review any other required fields.
Confirm that the form contains a change.
Try saving again.
The required Xero allowance is missing
Confirm that the correct Xero account is selected.
Confirm that the allowance exists in Xero.
Confirm that it is configured as an allowance pay item.
Refresh the Xero integration.
Reopen the (Xero) Allowance selector.
The allowance shows Not Assigned
Open the allowance’s edit window.
Open (Xero) Allowance.
Select the correct Xero allowance.
Select Save.
Return to the list and confirm the assignment.
The wrong Xero allowance is assigned
Open the allowance’s edit window.
Select the correct (Xero) Allowance.
Review any pending payroll processing.
Select Save.
Confirm the updated assignment in the list.
I cannot remove the Xero assignment
Open the allowance’s edit window.
Select None under (Xero) Allowance.
Review the warning.
Check for pending allowance requests.
Confirm the change.
Select Save.
A pending-request warning appears
Do not dismiss the warning without reviewing it.
Check the pending allowance requests.
Approve or deny them where required.
Confirm whether any request must still be processed in payroll.
Return to the allowance and continue when appropriate.
Staff cannot request the allowance
Open the allowance’s edit window.
Confirm that Requestable is enabled.
Confirm that the allowance is still available.
Check the staff member’s permissions.
Confirm that the request workflow is available on the Dashboard.
The allowance does not appear in Xero
Confirm that the Diversity Sync’d allowance is connected to a Xero allowance.
Confirm that the staff member is mapped to the correct Xero employee.
Confirm that the Timesheet contains the allowance.
Review the Timesheet synchronisation result.
Check Xero for a payroll or earnings-rate error.
Correct the mapping and retry where appropriate.