Session 4: Transitioning and Supporting Our Customers in the PTX Era

• Session 4: Transitioning and Supporting Our Customers in the PTX Era
  • Overview
  • What’s Changing in PTX
  • Customer Action Checklist
  • How We Guide Customers Through PTX
  • Support Team Playbook
  • Vertex Employee Report Updates
  • Technical Enhancements – New Tax History Table
  • Future Roadmap
  • Preparing for Year-End Cycles
  • Conclusion

This session is also available as a PowerPoint presentation: Transitioning and Supporting Our Customers in the PTX Era.

Overview

As CMiC continues its evolution toward Vertex Cloud (PTX), we are committed to ensuring that our customers not only understand the changes but also feel fully supported throughout the transition. Patch 22 introduces the optional ability to process payroll through PTX while retaining legacy PTQ processing. This approach allows customers to test PTX side by side with their current setup, ensuring confidence before fully migrating.

What’s Changing in PTX

• Tax Elements Retired: Replaced with Compensation and Deduction IDs.

• Work Location Screen Retired: Replaced with Vertex Geocodes (residence + work).

• Payroll Rules Realigned: Taxability determined directly by Vertex, reducing manual configuration and errors.

This shift means customers no longer need to maintain complex tax element or work location setups. Instead, payroll processing becomes more accurate, standardized, and jurisdiction-driven.

Customer Action Checklist

To prepare for PTX adoption, customers should:

1. Review Master Screens: Assign Compensation IDs (default = Cash if blank).

2. Review Deduction Master: Assign Deduction IDs; a script can be provided to auto-populate.

3. Review Expense Master: Assign Compensation IDs to all expenses.

4. No Need for “Taxes by Location”: Payroll data and Vertex geocodes now determine taxation.

5. Review Accounting Setup: Most accounts already exist, but new taxes may require setup. Use the “ALL” or “*” options to simplify configuration..

How We Guide Customers Through PTX

Our support model is designed to ensure a smooth and proactive transition:

• Educate: Share before/after examples, updated guides, and training sessions.

• Enable: Provide scripts, parallel testing instructions, and step-by-step walkthroughs.

• Support: Dedicated contacts in support, product, and engineering; proactive monitoring of missing IDs or accounts.

• Build Trust: Customer success stories, health checks, and early communication of upcoming changes.

Support Team Playbook

When a customer calls or opens a case about PTX:

1. Verify Patch 22 is installed in their TEST environment. (Cloud customers must wait until their Cloud TEST is upgraded).

2. Request Vertex credentials (UserID/Password) through CMiC’s Secret Server.

3. Provide the script to enable PTX Cloud on the processing screen.

4. Instruct the customer to run parallel payrolls:

   • PTQ → Save Pay Register.

   • PTX → Process again for comparison.

Vertex Employee Report Updates

The Employee Report now outputs in JSON format instead of XML.

• Structure: JSON is lighter, easier for API integration, and clearer for auditing.

• Output: Includes compensation IDs, deduction IDs, and geocodes in tagged fields.

• Action: Customers and support must ensure downstream tools can handle JSON. A new report flag ensures the correct data is parsed depending on PTQ or PTX processing.

Technical Enhancements – New Tax History Table

The new DA.PYEMPTAXHIST_TN table captures detailed Vertex JSON responses, including subject gross, taxable gross, deductions, and compensation IDs.

• Provides audit-ready, drill-down tax data.

• Simplifies validation during PTQ vs PTX parallel testing.

• Will support future reporting (W2, Greenshades, BI) with greater speed and accuracy.

Future Roadmap

• Patch 22 (Current): Customers can use PTQ or PTX; legacy screens (Tax Elements, Work Location) still visible.

• Nexus 1 (Feb Release): PTQ still optional, but Tax Element/Work Location screens hidden from standard menus; Tax Settings removed; Tax Rate screen enhanced.

• Nexus 2 (August 2026): PTQ retired; only PTX supported; legacy screens removed completely.

Preparing for Year-End Cycles

To ensure smooth year-end processing:

• Run the Vertex Employee Report (JSON) to validate setup.

• Confirm all Compensation and Deduction IDs are correctly assigned.

• Use parallel testing to reconcile differences.

• Expect some tax differences as PTX is more compliant and accurate than PTQ, especially in reciprocity scenarios.

Conclusion

Transitioning to PTX is not just a technical upgrade; it is a strategic improvement in payroll accuracy, compliance, and efficiency. With Patch 22, customers can safely test PTX alongside PTQ, preparing for the mandatory switchover in August 2026.

CMiC will continue to support customers every step of the way — through training, proactive monitoring, and aligned support processes — to ensure the PTX journey builds confidence and long-term success.