Applies to: All customers using Zone Payroll
Last updated: May 2025
📘 Overview
NetSuite gives you powerful tools to customize your account — and we love that! But with great flexibility comes a bit of caution: some customizations can unintentionally disrupt how Zone Payroll works.
This guide will help you understand:
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✅ What’s safe to change
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⚠️ What to avoid unless you know what you're doing (or check with us first)
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❌ What should not be changed under any circumstances
Our goal is to help you tailor your system without breaking core app functionality or risking payroll accuracy.
✅ Safe Customizations
Feel free to make these changes — they won’t interfere with Zone Payroll:
| Area | Safe to Change |
|---|---|
| Add your own fields | You can add fields to records we use (e.g., internal notes or tags), as long as they don’t override our logic. |
| Create additional Saved Searches | Build your own dashboards, exports, or internal reports using NetSuite’s tools. |
| Customize dashboards | Tailor your dashboard views with KPIs, reports, and reminders. |
| Create workflows unrelated to payroll | You may automate processes unrelated to payroll records or calculations. |
| Add local/regional public holidays | ✅ You can manually create public holidays via:Payroll Admin tab > Leave Management > Payroll Statutory Holiday > New Payroll Statutory Holiday: This ensures leave and payroll logic correctly accounts for region-specific public holidays. |
| Create new PCSTs or Super Funds | ✅ These are safe to create and expected to vary by customer. |
⚠️ Note: For anything other than Pay Component Setup Types (PCSTs) and Super Funds, we strongly recommend checking with our support team before creating new records, lists, or configurations.
Zone Payroll has tightly integrated automation — and untested configurations could result in incomplete or incorrect processing.
⚠️ Customizations That Can Cause Issues
Use caution when making changes in these areas — they can break key functionality or introduce silent errors.
| Area | What to Avoid | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Removing or renaming fields | Don’t delete or rename fields that came with Zone Payroll | Logic relies on internal field IDs and values |
| Overwriting or cloning the Payroll Employee form | Do not replace, rename, or edit this form | Scripts and automation rely on this exact configuration |
| Disabling workflows | Avoid deactivating workflows bundled with the app | Breaks core automation such as leave approvals or pay run calculations |
| Changing script deployments | Never disable or redeploy bundled scripts | Core logic and validations may silently stop working |
| Creating new list options (e.g., Pay Frequencies) | Don’t add or rename values in dropdowns that impact calculations | Fields like Pay Frequency, Leave Type, and Earnings Type are tightly scripted — changes can lead to incorrect processing or reporting |
| Creating new record types for payroll logic | Unless it’s a PCST or Super Fund, check with support | New records may be ignored by automation or cause unexpected results |
🔎 If you're not sure whether a value (like a list item or dropdown option) is safe to modify or extend — check with our team. Many dropdowns are hard-coded into scripts and reporting logic.
❌ Do Not Modify Without Support Approval
| Item | Why It’s Locked Down |
|---|---|
| Payroll Employee Form | This form contains required logic, scripts, and structure. Do not replace, rename, or edit this form. |
| Roles bundled with Zone Payroll | These roles have been carefully permissioned due to enforcing good privacy practices. You cannot create new roles! |
| Scripts or workflows labeled with Zone Payroll | Disabling or changing these can compromise payroll compliance, create silent failures, or corrupt data. |
|
Modifying bundled roles |
Roles are permissioned for security and compliance. Editing roles may break workflows, forms, and visibility |
👥 Role-Based Customization Guidance
| Role | Safe to Do ✅ | Be Cautious With ⚠️ | Avoid Without Support ❌ |
|---|---|---|---|
| NetSuite Administrator | - Create Saved Searches - Customize dashboards - Add non-critical custom fields |
- Editing workflows - Changing script deployments |
❌ Modifying bundled roles ❌ Changing or replacing the Payroll Employee form ❌ Deleting system fields/scripts/workflows |
| Implementation Consultant / Power User | - Use provided roles, workflows, and saved searches - Create reporting or audit searches |
- Adding workflow logic to non-payroll areas | ❌ Modifying or extending payroll-specific workflows or forms ❌ Changing script contexts |
| Finance / Payroll Admin | - Run reports - Use provided dashboards - Submit and finalize pay runs |
- Requesting custom views or reports via support | ❌ Changing roles, forms, or workflow configurations |
| End User (Employee Center) | - Submit leave, time entries, and view payslips | - Request UI changes through payroll admin | ❌ Accessing or modifying payroll setup or forms |
📝 Quick Summary
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🧑💻 Admins: You’ve got the keys to the system — but stick to the safe zones.
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🛠 Consultants: Understand what’s core to payroll — and don’t touch it unless scoped and tested.
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👩💼 Finance/Payroll Users: Focus on completing your workflows — not adjusting the engine behind them.
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👤 End Users: Use what’s provided — no customizations required.
🛠 How to Know if Something Broke
Here are some signs that a customization might be interfering with Zone Payroll:
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A payroll-related button disappears from a form
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A pay run fails to finalize or validate
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Employee records behave inconsistently
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Automation stops triggering (e.g., pay slip creation, journals not posted)
First check:
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Are you using the original Payroll Employee form?
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Are required scripts and workflows active?
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Are you logged in with one of the provided roles?
Need help? 👉 Submit a Support Request
✅ Best Practices
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Don’t clone or modify the Payroll Employee form — use the one provided.
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Use only the roles provided in the bundle — you can't build your own.
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Ask us before changing any scripts, workflows, or form configurations.
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Keep a record of any internal changes in case rollback is needed.
🙋 Still Have Questions?
We’re here to help.
If you’re planning a customization or aren’t sure whether a change might affect Zone Payroll, please contact support. It’s always easier to check early than to recover later.