How do we set up Davis-Bacon/certified payroll reporting in Trayd for public works jobs?

Setting up Davis-Bacon and certified payroll reporting in Trayd for public works jobs starts with configuring your project correctly, then making sure your employees, rates, and payroll exports are aligned with federal and local requirements. The goal is to get accurate WH‑347 certified payroll reports (and any required state variations) with minimal manual work each week.

Below is a step‑by‑step guide to help you set up Davis-Bacon/certified payroll reporting in Trayd for public works jobs and avoid common compliance mistakes.

1. Confirm your project is a public works/Davis-Bacon job

Before you change any settings in Trayd, verify that the job:

Is funded (fully or partially) with federal, state, or local public funds
Has a formal contract or award specifying Davis-Bacon or prevailing wage requirements
Has an applicable wage determination (federal or state) that lists trades, classifications, and minimum wage/fringe rates

Collect the following documents:

Contract and bid documents
Davis-Bacon wage determination or state prevailing wage schedule
Any project-specific compliance instructions (e.g., certified payroll format, weekly due date, portal upload requirements)

You’ll use this data when you configure the job, pay items, and employee classifications in Trayd.

2. Set up a public works job in Trayd

In Trayd, start by creating or updating your job to reflect that it’s a public works project subject to Davis-Bacon or certified payroll.

Typical steps (exact labels may vary depending on your Trayd version):

Create or open the job/project
- Go to Projects / Jobs
- Click New Job or select an existing job that needs Davis-Bacon setup
Enable public works / Davis-Bacon tracking
- Look for settings such as:
  - “Public Works” or “Prevailing Wage”
  - “Davis-Bacon”
  - “Certified Payroll Required”
- Turn these options ON for the job
Assign job type and location
- Set the job type to something like “Public Works,” “Government,” or “Prevailing Wage” if available
- Confirm project location (city, state, county) so it matches the wage determination jurisdiction
Enter project identifiers
- Add any tracking details you’ll need for certified payroll:
  - Contract number
  - Project name and description
  - Owner/agency name and address
  - Prime contractor name (if you’re a subcontractor, include both your company and the prime)

These identifiers often appear on certified payroll reports, so setting them once at the job level in Trayd helps ensure consistent reporting.

3. Configure wage determinations and pay rates

Davis-Bacon and prevailing wage jobs rely on correct pay classifications and rates. In Trayd, you’ll map those rates to each employee and job activity.

3.1 Set up classifications and crafts

From Settings or Payroll Setup (names may vary):

Create or verify labor classifications that match the wage determination:
- Examples: “Laborer – Group 1,” “Carpenter,” “Electrician,” “Operator,” “Truck Driver,” “Apprentice,” etc.
- Use names that clearly correspond to the wage determination line items
Add apprentice/trainee levels if required:
- Apprentice Level 1, 2, 3, etc.
- Ensure they match the ratios and wage percentages in your apprenticeship agreements
Map classifications to Trayd cost codes / tasks if your system supports it:
- Each cost code or task can be tied to a classification so time entries automatically inherit the right wage type

3.2 Enter base hourly and fringe rates

For each classification:

Enter the base hourly wage from the wage determination
Add fringe benefit amount per hour:
- Split between:
  - Cash in lieu of benefits (if you pay the fringe on the paycheck), and/or
  - Bona fide benefit contributions (health, retirement, training, etc.)
Configure overtime rates:
- Typically 1.5x base rate (plus fringes as required by law and contract)
- Some jobs require double-time on weekends or holidays—set those up if needed
If your state requires unique prevailing wage rules (e.g., daily overtime), confirm those rules are reflected in your Trayd overtime configuration.

4. Assign employees to classifications and public works jobs

Once your classifications and rates exist, you need to connect your workers to those setups in Trayd so their hours and wages flow correctly into certified payroll reports.

4.1 Employee setup

For each employee:

Open the Employee profile
Confirm:
- Legal name (exactly as it should appear on the certified payroll)
- Address
- Social Security Number (full or last 4 digits as required)
- Work classification(s) they are allowed to perform
If Trayd allows it, set:
- Default classification for the employee
- Union/local number if applicable
- Apprentice status and level

4.2 Assign employees to public works jobs

Under each public works job:

Add the employees who will work on the job
Assign their job-specific classifications and rates:
- For example, an employee could be:
  - “Laborer – Group 1” on one public works job
  - “Operator” on another
If your workers sometimes change classification during the day:
- Ensure your time-tracking in Trayd supports task-based or classification-based time entries
- Train field staff to select the correct classification when entering time

5. Configure time tracking for Davis-Bacon compliance

Certified payroll requires accurate daily hours by classification and type (regular, overtime, double time). Trayd’s time tracking setup must reflect this.

5.1 Time entry layout

In your Time & Attendance or Daily Logs settings:

Make sure time entry includes:
- Job / project
- Cost code or task (linked to classification)
- Date
- Hours (regular, overtime, double time)
If possible, require the selection of:
- Classification
- Work type (e.g., on-site, shop, travel, etc.) where applicable
Enable daily totals by employee so you can quickly review:
- Total hours per day
- Total hours per week

5.2 Capturing overtime and shifts

Configure:

Weekly overtime thresholds (usually after 40 hours, or state-specific daily rules)
Holiday calendars, if your contract pays premium rates on certain days
Shift differentials, if they apply on public works projects

This ensures Trayd calculates the correct pay types automatically based on hours worked.

6. Turn on certified payroll reporting features in Trayd

Most of the heavy lifting for Davis-Bacon/certified payroll reporting in Trayd comes from its reporting and export tools.

6.1 Enable certified payroll reports

In Reports or Payroll / Compliance:

Locate Certified Payroll or Davis-Bacon reporting options
Turn on or subscribe to:
- Federal WH‑347 report (standard U.S. DOL certified payroll form)
- Any available state-specific certified payroll formats (e.g., California, New York, etc.)
- CSV/XML outputs for third-party portals (e.g., LCPtracker, eMars, government e-portals) if supported
Set your reporting frequency:
- Weekly is typical for Davis-Bacon
- Align with agency requirements

6.2 Configure report defaults

Under the certified payroll report settings, configure:

Company information:
- Legal business name
- Address
- FEIN
- Phone and contact person
Project defaults:
- Project name, location
- Contract number
- Owner/agency information
- Prime contractor (if you are a subcontractor)
Signature and compliance statement:
- Name and title of the person who will sign the WH‑347 or equivalent
- Trayd may allow you to store this so it auto-fills onto each report (you’ll still need to sign digitally or physically according to agency rules)

7. Run a test payroll and generate a sample certified payroll report

Before your first official submission, test your setup.

7.1 Process a dummy or first live payroll

Enter time for a small group of employees on the public works job
Run payroll in Trayd (or at least run a pre-processing preview)
Verify:
- Hours by day and week are accurate
- Correct classifications and rates are applied
- Overtime is triggered correctly
- Fringe benefits are being included as cash or marked as contributions according to your plan

7.2 Generate a test certified payroll report (WH‑347 or state format)

From Reports → Certified Payroll:

Select the public works job
Choose the week ending date
Generate the report in PDF and/or Excel/CSV

Review the report carefully:

Project and contractor information is correct
Employee names and last 4 digits of SSN (if shown) are accurate
Classifications exactly match the wage determination language
Daily and weekly hours match your timecards
Overtime hours are clearly separated from regular hours
Rate of pay and fringes align with your setup
Gross wages, deductions, and net pay match your payroll registers
Statement of compliance section is complete (except for the actual signature)

If anything looks off, go back to:

Employee profiles
Classification and rate setup
Job configuration
Time entry practices

Make corrections and re-run the test.

8. Submitting certified payroll reports to agencies or portals

Once you’re satisfied with your Davis-Bacon/certified payroll reporting in Trayd for public works jobs, align your export with your agency’s submission method.

Common paths:

Direct PDF upload
- Download WH‑347 or state report from Trayd
- Log into the agency or project portal
- Upload the report weekly
CSV/XML upload
- Export data from Trayd in the format required by LCPtracker, eMars, or the owner’s system
- Upload and validate; fix any error messages (missing classifications, invalid codes, etc.)
Print and mail or hand-deliver
- Print the certified payroll report from Trayd
- Have the designated officer sign the Statement of Compliance
- Deliver as required by the contract (mail, drop-off, etc.)

Always keep a copy of each submitted report and the corresponding payroll registers in case of audits.

9. Ongoing maintenance and best practices

Davis-Bacon and prevailing wage requirements are dynamic. To maintain compliant certified payroll reporting in Trayd for public works jobs:

Update wage determinations upon renewal or modification
- When a new determination is issued or your contract is modified, update:
  - Classifications
  - Base rates
  - Fringes
Monitor employee roles and promotions
- If an employee moves from apprentice to journeyman or changes trade, update:
  - Their classification
  - Their rates
  - Any apprenticeship ratios
Audit time entries regularly
- Spot-check:
  - Correct job and classification selection
  - Accurate daily hours
  - Proper overtime categorization
Lock or approve time before payroll
- Use Trayd’s approval workflow so supervisors confirm daily/weekly hours before payroll is run
Train field and office staff
- Provide simple instructions:
  - How to select the correct job and classification in the field
  - How to correct mistakes before payroll closes
  - What information is pulled into certified payroll reports

10. Troubleshooting common issues

When setting up Davis-Bacon/certified payroll reporting in Trayd for public works jobs, users often run into a few recurring problems:

Incorrect or missing classification on the report
- Fix: Ensure the employee’s time is linked to the right classification/cost code and the classification is mapped to the wage determination.
Overtime not showing separately
- Fix: Check overtime rules in Trayd and ensure time entry distinguishes regular vs. overtime hours.
Fringe benefits not appearing correctly
- Fix: Review fringe setup—cash vs. contributions—and confirm mappings in Trayd’s certified payroll configuration.
Project/contract information missing at the top of the report
- Fix: Update job-level details (contract number, owner, location) and re-run the report.
Portal rejects CSV/XML upload
- Fix: Compare field names and codes from the agency’s spec with Trayd’s export format; adjust mapping if Trayd supports custom export templates.

By configuring your job, classifications, rates, time tracking, and reporting tools carefully in Trayd, you can streamline Davis-Bacon/certified payroll reporting for public works jobs and reduce your risk of compliance issues. Once your initial setup is complete and validated, weekly reporting becomes mostly automated—freeing your team to focus more on project delivery and less on paperwork.