Welcome, friends! Today we are going to dive into the wonderful world of creating a SIF file for WPS using our trusty friend, Google Sheets. So grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and let’s get started!
Why Google Sheets?
Before we jump into the nitty-gritty, let me tell you why Google Sheets is the perfect tool for this task. Not only is it free to use, but it’s also widely popular and easy to navigate. So whether you’re a spreadsheet pro or a beginner, Google Sheets has got you covered.
Now, let’s walk through the step-by-step process of creating a SIF file for WPS using Google Sheets.
Wages Protection System (WPS)
But first, let’s take a quick look at the Wages Protection System (WPS). This system is used in some Middle Eastern countries, such as the UAE and Qatar, to ensure that workers are paid their salaries on time and in full. Employers are required to transfer their employees’ salaries through approved financial institutions like banks and bureaux de change.
Creating a SIF file for WPS Salary Transfer
Now, let’s get down to business. Whether you’re in the UAE or any other country, this tutorial will guide you through the process of creating a SIF file for salary transfer. It’s important to note that the same steps can be applied in Excel, with a slight difference which I’ll explain later.
To start, let’s talk about the SIF file format. To facilitate electronic salary transfers, employers can send their employees’ salary details in a proper format via email. This format is called the SIF file format, and it is routed through the Central Bank.
If there are any errors in your file or if it’s not in the valid file format, the bank may reject it. But don’t worry, they will send you an email pointing out the error so you can fix it and resend the file.
Creating a SIF file for WPS using Google Sheets
Alright, now let’s dive into the exciting part – creating a SIF file using Google Sheets. Follow these simple steps:
Required details for creating the SIF file name:
- Employer ID (appears on Company Labour Card)
- File Preparation Date (YYMMDD)
- Hour, Minute & Second of Preparation (HHMMSS) (24-hour format)
Use these details to name the SIF file in Google Sheets. You can choose any name that makes it easy for you to identify the file later in Google Drive.
SIF file content
The SIF file content consists of two types of records: EDR and SCR.
EDR (Employee Detail Record)
The EDR, or Employee Detail Record, contains information specific to each employee. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Labour Card No. of Employee (14 digits)
- Routing Code No. of the Bank (each bank has its own routing code)
- IBAN No. of the Employee A/c (23 digits)
- Salary period from (YYYY-MM-DD)
- Salary period to (YYYY-MM-DD)
- Exact Salary Amount
- Variable Salary
- No. of Leave taken by the Employee
Make sure you gather all the necessary information from your HR department or whoever handles the employee records.
SCR (Salary Control Record)
The SCR, or Salary Control Record, contains details related to the employer. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Employer ID (appears on the Company Labour Card) – 13 digits
- Routing Code No. of the Bank (Employer)
- File Creation Date (YYYY-MM-DD)
- File Creation Time (HHMM)
- Salary Period (Month and Year in MMYYYY format)
- Total No. of Records (EDRs) – If there are 5 employees, put 5 here
- Exact Salary Amount (Total salary of all employees)
Now that we have all the necessary details, let’s start creating our SIF file!
First of all, open a new Google Sheets file by clicking here. For our example purposes, we’ll prepare a SIF file for two employees.
Enter the EDR and SCR details in the same order as shown above. If you have more employees, be sure to add more EDR records to your sheet.
Once you’ve entered all the details, name your sheet tab as instructed under the title “Creating a SIF file for WPS using Google Sheets.”
Now, we need to convert the Google Sheets file to CSV format. To do this, go to File > Download > Comma-separated values (.csv).
Please note that you need to convert your spreadsheet to CSV first before converting it to a SIF file. Unfortunately, you cannot directly convert a spreadsheet to a SIF file in Google Sheets.
At this stage, we’re almost there! To convert the CSV file to a SIF file, simply rename the file extension. It should look something like this: filename.sif.
That’s it! You’ve successfully created a SIF file for salary transfer using Google Sheets. You can open the file using Notepad to see all the details, and make any necessary changes directly in the file.
Conclusion
Congratulations on completing this tutorial! Now you know how to create a SIF file for WPS using Google Sheets. Remember, you don’t need to create a new file every month. Simply open the existing SIF file in Notepad, edit the content, and update the file name.
Feel free to add more employees by inserting additional EDRs just above the SCR record in Notepad.
And there you have it, my friends! You are now equipped with the knowledge to conquer the world of SIF files using Google Sheets. For more helpful tips and tricks, head over to Crawlan.com.
Happy spreadsheeting!
